vermilion

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A bright red mercuric sulfide used as a pigment.
2. n. A vivid red to reddish orange. Also called Chinese red, cinnabar.
3. adj. Of a vivid red to reddish orange.
4. v. To color or dye (something) in the hue vermilion.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The kermes- or cochineal-insect; also, the product of cochineal; worm-dye.
2. n. The red sulphid of mercury, or the mineral cinnabar, occurring in nature of a red-brown to a carmine-red color; also, a pigment formerly made by grinding selected pieces of native cinnabar, but now made artificially. The pigment is produced in two ways, In the wet way mercury, sulphur, potash, and water are mixed together in proper proportions, put into horizontal iron cylinders containing agitators, and stirred constantly for about an hour. The mass first turns black, then brick-red, and finally acquires the desired vermilion-red color. The potash is simply a carrier, and does not enter into the composition of the finished product.
3. n. A color such as that of the above pigment; a beautiful brilliant red color.
4. n. A cotton cloth dyed with vermilion.
5. n. Same as vermeil, 4.
6. Of the color of vermilion; of the brilliant pure-red color common in the bloom of the single scarlet geranium: as, a vermilion dye.
7. To color with or as with vermilion; dye red; cover or suffuse with a bright red.

Wiktionary

1. n. A vivid red synthetic pigment made of mercury sulfide.
2. n. A vivid red or slightly orange colour.
3. n. A type of red dye worn in the parting of the hair by married Hindu women.
4. n. A red skin of the lip or its border with the skin of the face.
5. adj. Having a brilliant red colour.
6. adj. Having the color of the vermilion dye.
7. v. transitive To color or paint vermilion.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Chem.) A bright red pigment consisting of mercuric sulphide, obtained either from the mineral cinnabar or artificially. It has a fine red color, and is much used in coloring sealing wax, in printing, etc.
2. n. Hence, a red color like the pigment; a lively and brilliant red.
3. v. To color with vermilion, or as if with vermilion; to dye red; to cover with a delicate red.

WordNet 3.0

1. v. color vermilion
2. n. a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge
3. adj. of a vivid red to reddish-orange color