bluing

/ˈbluːɪŋ/
verb
  1. Present participle of blue; making or becoming blue.
    • She is bluing the fabric by dipping it in indigo dye.
    • The cold weather was bluing the tips of his fingers.
    • The sky was bluing as the storm clouds finally cleared.
noun
  1. A blue substance or dye used to whiten laundry or give a blue tint to fabrics.
    • The fabric store sells liquid bluing for people who prefer traditional whitening.
    • She added a capful of bluing to the wash to keep her white shirts looking bright.
    • Old-fashioned laundry methods often used bluing to counteract yellowing.
  2. The process of making something blue, especially metal, by applying a chemical or heat treatment.
    • The gunsmith performed a bluing on the steel to protect it from rust.
    • Bluing gives gun barrels a dark blue-black finish that resists corrosion.
    • He learned the art of bluing metal in his grandfather's workshop.
What does "bluing" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean