The Collaborative International Dictionary
Protective \Pro*tect"ive\, a. [Cf. F. protectif.]
Affording protection; sheltering; defensive. `` The favor of
a protective Providence.''
--Feltham.
Protective coloring (Zo["o]l.), coloring which serves for
the concealment and preservation of a living organism. Cf.
Mimicry.
--Wallace.
Protective tariff (Polit. Econ.), a tariff designed to secure protection (see Protection, 4.), as distinguished from a tariff designed to raise revenue. See Tariff, and Protection, 4.
Usage examples of "protective coloring".
It was because of the protective coloring it offered that I had chosen the ditch in preference to a shallow dip in the hillside, and I was glad I had, because it was fairly certain that Adams from his lookout point would at once have spotted a dark intruder on the pale-green hill.
Only at the sides was there enough of it for its protective coloring still to be emphasized in full tones.
His flesh was a flexible shell, protective coloring allowing him to blend with the rest of humanity.
They practised with erasers and with brush and water color on the protective coloring tint on some canceled checks of his own.
You'd have some protective coloring despite the fact that you're not Hispanic yourself.
But it was necessary to get into touching distance before they could even make out the outlines of the nightmare things, so well did their protective coloring conceal them.
It was protective coloring, a frightened animal's defense against predatory enemies.
And she was wearing the lab coat, which she felt served as a sort of protective coloring—.
Because of its protective coloring she hadn't noticed it with the naked eye.
They fit into the shabby background, which is protective coloring for them.
Learn the kind of protective coloring that gets you past the places where they stop the civilians, and learn the kind of behavior which keeps the staff from using their authority to toss you the hell out.