umber (1), umbre (bre as ber) (1)

& a. [Fr. ombre (for terre d ombre ), from Ital. ombra (for terra d ombra )=umber; lit. earth of shadow, i. e., earth used for shadowing, from Latin umbra =a shade; cf. Sp. sombra suade, umber; Fr. ombré umbered or shadowed; Ger. umber.] A. As substantive: I. Ordinary Language: 1. A well-known pigment of an olive-brown color in its raw state, but much redder when burnt. It consists of an ocherous earth containing manganese, is durable, has a good body, and is useful in oil and water-color painting. It occurs either naturally in veins or beds, or is prepared artificially from various admixtures. That which is brought from Cyprus, under the name of Turkish umber, is the best. Itis of a brown citrine color, semi-opaque, has all the in water and oil, and one of the best drying colors properties of good ocher, is perfectly durable both we po e . It injures no other good pigment with which it may be mixed. "I'll put myself in poor and mean attire, And with a kind of umber smirch my face." Shakesp.: As You Like It , i. 3. 2. A variety of peat or brown coal occurring near Cologne, used as a pigment and for the adulteration of snuff. ( Brande .) II. Min .: A clay-like substance of varying shades of a brown color, consisting e entially of a hydrated silicate of alumina mixed with varying proportions of iron and manganese oxides. Used as a pigment. IMG:content-1648.png:[blocks in formation] 1. Ichthy. The grayling. "The umber and grayling differ as the herring and pil. cher do; but though they may do so in other nations, those in England differ nothing but in their names."- Walton : Angler. *2. Old Arm.: The same as UMBRIERE (q. v.). 3. Ornith.: The same as UMBRE (2) (q. v.).