— yellowly , adv. — yellowness , n.
/yel"oh/ , n., adj., yellower, yellowest , v.
n.
1. a color like that of egg yolk, ripe lemons, etc.; the primary color between green and orange in the visible spectrum, an effect of light with a wavelength between 570 and 590 nm.
2. the yolk of an egg.
3. a yellow pigment or dye.
4. Informal. See yellow light .
5. Slang. See yellow jacket (def. 2).
adj.
6. of the color yellow.
7. Often Offensive.
a. designating or pertaining to an Oriental person or Oriental peoples.
b. designating or pertaining to a person of mixed racial origin, esp. of black and white heritage, whose skin is yellowish or yellowish brown.
8. having a sallow or yellowish complexion.
9. Informal. cowardly.
10. (of journalism, a newspaper, etc.)
a. sensational, esp. morbidly or offensively so: That yellow rag carried all the gory details.
b. dishonest in editorial comment and the presentation of news, esp. in sacrificing truth for sensationalism: Objective reporting isn't always a match for yellow journalism.
11. jealous; envious.
v.t. , v.i.
12. to make or become yellow: Yellow the sheets with dye. The white stationery had yellowed with age.
[ bef. 900; 1895-1900 for def. 9; ME yelou (adj. and n.), OE geolo, geolu (adj.); c. D geel, G gelb, L helvus pale-yellow; akin to ON gulr ]
Syn. 9. craven, timorous, fearful.