true blue

Meanings

1. Steadfastly faithful or loyal; unwavering in loyalty; staunch, true.
2. Patriotic.
3. Of or pertaining to the (historical) Tory, and now the Conservative, political party; hence, steadfastly conservative.
4. Of or pertaining to the Scottish Presbyterian or Whig political party in the 17th century; hence, steadfastly Presbyterian.
5. Representing the true essence of something; authentic, genuine, honest.
6. Representing authentic Australian culture, values, etc.
7. Aristocratic by birth.
8. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see true, blue.

1. A faithful partisan or supporter of a cause, person, political party, etc.
2. A blue dye from Coventry, England, famous for not washing out.
3. A precisely defined pure blue, as for example web color #0000FF = RGB(0,0,255).

Etymology

Endocentric compound of true (“loyal, faithful”, adjective) + blue (“steadfastly faithful or loyal”, adjective). The symbolism of the colour blue as representing constancy, faithfulness, loyalty, and truth may derive from the constant colour of the sky, or the tendency of certain blue dyes to resist fading, especially those made in Coventry. Adjective senses 1.1.2 (“of or pertaining to the Tory, and now the Conservative, political party”) and 1.1.3 (“of or pertaining to the Scottish Presbyterian or Whig political party in the 17th century”) probably both allude to sense 1 (“steadfastly faithful or loyal”). Sense 1.1.2 may also allude to sense 1.1.3 which is older, and sense 1.1.3 may partly allude to the blue colour of the flag of Scotland.

Translations