Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Color \Col"or\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Colored}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Coloring}.] [F. colorer.]
   1. To change or alter the hue or tint of, by dyeing,
      staining, painting, etc.; to dye; to tinge; to paint; to
      stain.

            The rays, to speak properly, are not colored; in
            them there is nothing else than a certain power and
            disposition to stir up a sensation of this or that
            color.                                --Sir I.
                                                  Newton.

   2. To change or alter, as if by dyeing or painting; to give a
      false appearance to; usually, to give a specious
      appearance to; to cause to appear attractive; to make
      plausible; to palliate or excuse; as, the facts were
      colored by his prejudices.

            He colors the falsehood of [AE]neas by an express
            command from Jupiter to forsake the queen. --Dryden.

   3. To hide. [Obs.]

            That by his fellowship he color might Both his
            estate and love from skill of any wight. --Spenser.

Coloring \Col"or*ing\, n.
   1. The act of applying color to; also, that which produces
      color.

   2. Change of appearance as by addition of color; appearance;
      show; disguise; misrepresentation.

            Tell the whole story without coloring or gloss.
                                                  --Compton
                                                  Reade.

   {Dead coloring}. See under {Dead}.

Source : WordNet®

coloring
     n 1: a digestible substance used to give color to food; "food
          color made from vegetable dyes" [syn: {colouring}, {food
          coloring}, {food colouring}, {food color}, {food colour}]
     2: a visual attribute of things that results from the light
        they emit or transmit or reflect; "a white color is made
        up of many different wavelengths of light" [syn: {color},
        {colour}, {colouring}] [ant: {colorlessness}]
     3: the act or process of changing the color of something [syn:
        {colouring}]