a. Also cæ-. [f. L. cærule-us dark blue, dark green, applied to the sky, the sea (Mediterranean), but occas. to leaves, fields: cf. Welsh glas. In the mod. langs. always taken as deep blue.] Of the color of the cloudless sky, pure deep blue, azure. Chiefly poetic.
1667. Primatt, City & C. Build., 71. For Painting the best Cerulian or Blew colour in Oyl 1s. 6d. a yard.
1677. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 129 (T.). The Mosques and Hummums with their cerulean tiles and gilded Vanes.
1695. Blackmore, Pr. Arth., IV. 83. He spread the pure Cerulean Fields on high.
1725. Pope, Odyss., VIII. 284. We … through cærulian billows plough the way.
1791. Cowper, Iliad, II. 545. Her eyes cerulean rolled.
1847. Emerson, Threnody, Wks. (Bohn), i. 487. Within the air’s cerulean round.
b. humorous = BLUE a. 7.
1831. Cat’s Tail, 28. Being cerulean (which so much the ton is).
B. quasi-sb. (ellipt.).
1. Cerulean color or hue.
1756. Gentl. Mag., 39. Tinctured with a bright cerulean, then with a fine azure.
1835. New Monthly Mag., 299. The sky was clear and of the milky cerulean of chrysoprase.
2. humorous. A blue-stocking, a ‘blue.’
1821. Byron, Juan, IV. cviii. O ye, who make the fortunes of all books! Benign Ceruleans of the second sex!
