Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

color outside the lines

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.54 in modern English

Syllables: col-or out-side the -lines
IPA

26

Scrabble Score

20

Letters

4

Syllables

12

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To behave in creative or unconventional ways, to break the rules.

Intransitive verb

verb

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see color, outside, lines.

Example Sentences

"As one American problem-solving court judge put it: “We are the judges who get to color outside the lines.”"
"It comes from the fact that skaters are more likely, as you say, to color outside the lines, and that inclination frightens and confuses most people and institutions."
"For most of my life, I've watched my mother resist the urge to color outside the lines. Not because she didn't want to do it, but because some part of her wasn't free enough."

Etymology

A reference to children's coloring books, which contain line drawings to be colored in.

Usage

Intransitive verb

Inflected Forms

colors outside the lines (present, singular) coloring outside the lines (participle, present) colored outside the lines (participle, past) colored outside the lines (past)

Questions

What does color outside the lines mean?: To behave in creative or unconventional ways, to break the rules.
Where does color outside the lines come from?: A reference to children's coloring books, which contain line drawings to be colored in.

How to pronounce color outside the lines

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