khaki

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)A dull, yellowish-brown colour, the colour of dust.

   “When you've shouted "Rule Britannia", when you've sung "God Save The Queen", When you've finished killing Kruger with your mouth; Will you kindly drop a shilling in my little tambourine For a gentleman in khaki ordered South?”

   “But being the right shade of khaki or shit-brown is not enough.”

2. (countable, uncountable)Khaki green, a dull green colour.

   “1921, War work of the Bureau of Standards, no. 46, page 54. The English Government for a long time has used a type of pigmented dope cover, khaki colored by iron pigments and lampblack, which is called P. C. 10.”

   “2007, Yuji Matsuki, American Fighters Over Europe: Colors & Markings of USAAF Fighters in WWII, page 4, →ISBN. At the end of World War I, the U.S. Army Air Service painted everything khaki. This khaki was practically the same as British PC10 and can be considered the basis of the later olive drab color.”

   “In these notes we have used the British rather than the US terms for colours: i.e. 'khaki' here means the drab brown - US 'olive drab' - used for woolen uniforms and 'khaki drill' for the pale yellowish tan - US 'khaki' - used for lightweight summer/tropical dress.”

   “The very loose seroual trousers were made in both sand-khaki drill, and in winter-weight khaki wool for wear with the M1946 battledress blouse.”

3. (countable, uncountable)A strong cloth of wool or cotton, often used for military or other uniforms.
4. (countable, rare, uncountable)A soldier wearing a khaki uniform.
5. (South-Africa, countable, derogatory, slang, uncountable)A British person.

   “"Frank, it's a khaki," I whisper, "keep straight on."”

   “War and then victory raised patriotic sentiment inside Britain and brought the Colonial Secretary national popularity. Unionists were quick to milk this with a 'khaki' election in 1900 at which they won a massive landslide.”

6. (countable, in-plural, uncountable)Khaki clothing or uniform.

   “1915 Out West magazine The porter in going through the rear coach, which was almost empty, noticed one of the occupants, a muscular, soldierly man in khakies to be apparently asleep in his seat.”

adj

1. Dust-coloured; of the colour of dust.