Somewhere umber the rainbow

umber

\ UHM-ber \  , noun;

1. North England Dialect.  shade; shadow.

2. an earth consisting chiefly of a hydrated oxide of iron and some oxide of manganese, used in its natural state as a brown pigment (raw umber) or, after heating, as a reddish-brown pigment (burnt umber).

3. the color of such a pigment; dark dusky brown or dark reddish brown.

4. Ichthyology.  the European grayling, Thymallus thymallus.

adjective:

1. of the color umber.

verb:

1. to color with or as if with umber.

 

Today's word is rather a tricky one because of the plethora of definitions.  I believe this is the first time that I've gotten to choose from six definitions.  I've decided to choose from #3, the color umber.  Below is what I found when I googled the color:

 

 

It's kind of a deep, rich brown color, as you can see.  I like to think of it as the color of the mud here in Syracuse after it's been frozen over and sloshed in.  I know it's a pretty gross description for such a rich shade of brown, but that's really all I can think of.  All the brown things around here are trees, and they all have a sort of bleak look about them because of this thing snow does--it makes everything cold and shades the world in this sort of clouded winter wonderland.  Well, that's the opinion of a girl who comes from 50 degree winters, at least.  

 

Umber is a very nice color, for furniture.  But it makes me appreciate my orange nation all the more.  :)