Meanings
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1
verb
to leave someone stranded and isolated in a remote place, especially an island
The collapsed bridge marooned the expedition on the plateau.
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2
noun
a dark brownish-red or purplish-red color
The club's flag was maroon with a narrow gold border.
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3
adj
dark brownish-red or purplish-red in color
She wore a maroon scarf with her gray coat.
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4
noun
a firework that explodes loudly and is used as a warning or signal
The rescue crew fired a maroon to summon the lifeboat team.
Thesaurus
Etymology
The stranded-person noun and verb come through French maron from Spanish cimarrón ("wild, runaway"), first applied to fugitive enslaved people living beyond colonial control; marooning someone left them to live in similar isolation. The color is unrelated, from French marron ("chestnut") for a chestnut-brown shade.