a. Forms: see COLOUR sb. [a. OF. colorable corresp. to L. type *colōrābil-is, f. colorāre to COLOUR: see -ABLE. For the force of the suffix, cf. agreeable, comfortable, favorable, etc.]
† 1. Possessed of or abounding in color. Obs.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1673), 79. The colourable spots are wrought in fashion of a fishers net.
1705. Hickeringill, Priest-cr., II. v. 49. A Fortnights time, shall make it [the Moon] as good, as colourable, and as round again, as any Cheese.
† b. Rhet. Ornamental. Cf. COLOUR sb. 13.
1565–73. Cooper, Thesaurus, s.v. Gracilitas, Exigere gracilitatem stylo. Quint. To write a low style without colourable amplifications.
2. fig. Having an appearance of truth or right; specious, plausible, fair-seeming.
1382. Wyclif, Prol., 58. Thouȝ this replicacioun seme colourable, it hath no good ground.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., V. x. 536. Ech colorable argument.
1573. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden), 28. For al his cullerable prætens to the contrari.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 466 b. Seduced by glavering conceipt of colorable error.
1633. Bp. Hall, Hard Texts, 509. By faire and colourable treaties.
b. Capable of being presented as true or right; having at least a prima facie aspect of justice or validity.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 396. One sentence … cann not be found, to make those their Pardons Justifiable or coulorable.
1622. Bacon, Hen. VII., 210. They did also vexe men with Informations of Intrusion vpon scarce colourable Titles.
1641. Milton, Animadv. (1851), 242. Conversant in no Divinity, but that which is colourable to uphold Bishopricks.
1659. Bp. Walton, Consid. Considered, 243. Arguments, to which he could give no colourable answer.
1767. Blackstone, Comm., II. 248. If the mother was never married to the father, such bastard could have no colourable title at all.
1785. T. Jefferson, Corr., Wks. 1859, I. 385. The enclosed paper, No. 9, is the only colorable evidence of this.
1830. De Quincey, Bentley, Wks. (1863), VI. 72. Colourable grounds of complaint.
1878. E. White, Life in Christ, III. xxi. 302. No even colourable escape from this criticism seems possible.
c. Covert, pretended, feigned, counterfeit, collusory, done for appearance’ sake.
1440. J. Shirley, Dethe K. James (1818), 7. He fonde colourabill wais to serve his entent.
1489. Caxton, Faytes of A., IV. iii. 235. Shall hurt hym undre coulourable deceypte.
1512. Act 4 Hen. VIII., c. 2 Preamb., To be removed … by colorable and untrew suggestions.
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1684), III. 452. I will use no colourable or covert words.
1593. Nashe, Christ’s T., 4 a. They tooke him for a counterfeit or colourable practiser.
1690. J. Harrington, Def. Rights Univ. Oxford, Case Univ., 49. The said University … have fraudulently … granted colourable priviledges to divers members of the city.
1798. Dallas, Amer. Law Rep., II. 381. The conveyance was colorable and collusive.
1857. Gen. P. Thompson, Audi Alt., I. ix. 31. On pretences entirely colourable and false.
1886. Times, 24 Feb., 4/1. A case of bribery by colourable employment.
d. Of ships’ papers, etc.: Drawn up in a deceptive or designedly ambiguous form.
1750. Beawes, Lex Mercat. (1752), 93. He [the Captain] must not carry … fictitious and colourable Ship Papers.
1755. Magens, Insurances, I. 488. Every Ship must be provided with complete and genuine Papers … if the Papers be false or colourable … the Law of Nations allows, [etc.].
