Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Blacken
Black′en
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Blackened
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Blackening
.] 1.
To make or render black.
While the long funerals
blacken
all the way. Pope.
2.
To make dark; to darken; to cloud.
“Blackened the whole heavens.” South.
3.
To defame; to sully, as reputation; to make infamous;
as, vice
. blackens
the character
Syn. – To denigrate; defame; vilify; slander; calumniate; traduce; malign; asperse.
Black′en
,Verb.
I.
To grow black or dark.
Webster 1828 Edition
Blacken
BLACK'EN
, v.t.1.
To make black.The importation of slaves that has blackened half America.
2.
To make dark; to darken; to cloud.3.
To soil.4.
To sully reputation; to make infamous; as, vice blackens the character.BLACK'EN
,Verb.
I.
Definition 2024
blacken
blacken
English
Verb
blacken (third-person singular simple present blackens, present participle blackening, simple past and past participle blackened)
- (ergative) (To cause) to be or become black.
- To make dirty.
- To defame or sully.
- Malice delights to blacken the characters of prominent men. — Napoleon Bonaparte
- To cook (meat or fish) by coating with pepper, etc., and quickly searing in a hot pan.
- (intransitive) To become black.
- The sky blackened as the storm clouds rolled in.
Synonyms
- (make black): black, denigrate
- (make dirty): dirty, soil
- (defame): defame, denigrate, sully, taint, tarnish
Translations
make black
make dirty
|
defame, sully
cook by coating with pepper and quickly searing