rose-pink, n. and a.
[f. rose n. + pink n.5]
A. n.
1. A pigment of a pinkish hue, produced by colouring whiting or chalk with a decoction of Brazil-wood, etc.
| 1735 J. Peele Perspective 29 Rose-pink finely ground and powdered. 1795 Gentl. Mag. LXV. ii. 741, I should suppose rose-pink no other than chalk or whiting tinged of a red colour. 1836–7 Dickens Sk. Boz, Scenes xx, A dinner..where clean faces appeared in lieu of black ones smeared with rose pink. 1847 Smeaton Builder's Man. 100 Take of linseed oil one quart, alkenett root one ounce, and rose pink half an ounce. 1877 E. S. Dallas Kettner's Bk. of Table 338 The rose-pink, which is sometimes used for colouring..is obtained from the peach tree. |
2. A pink tint or hue like that of roses. Also fig., sentimentality, sentimental writing.
| 1864 in Webster. 1872 G. Meredith Let. 3 Dec. (1970) I. 473 Read the first chapter for a specimen of modern rose-pink. 1882 Garden 1 April 223 Dense trusses of flowers of a lovely rose-pink. 1885 G. Meredith Diana i, Rose-pink and dirty drab will..have passed away. |
B. adj.
1. Of a pinkish colour resembling that of the rose; rosy pink, roseate.
| 1843 Portlock Geol. 213 Arragonite is found..at Down Hill, of a rose pink shade. 1883 H. W. V. Stuart Egypt 363 In the centre of the great hall is a beautiful rose-pink granite sarcophagus. |
2. fig. = rose-coloured a. 3.
| 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. i. ii. iii, If we pierce through that rosepink vapour of Sentimentalism, Philanthropy, and Feasts of Morals. 1861 Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. xlii, Hardy..would test his new idea..and ruthlessly strip off any tinsel or rose-pink sentiment. 1891 Farrar in Harper's Mag. May 903 The people of our slums will never be won by a rose-pink religionism. |
Hence ˈrose-pink v., to colour with rose-pink.
| 1836–7 Dickens Sk. Boz, Scenes xiii. 117 ‘Where's the bleeding officer?’—‘Here!’ replies the officer, who has been rose-pinking for the character. |