Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Black

Black

(blăk)
,
Adj.
[OE.
blak
, AS.
blæc
; akin to Icel.
blakkr
dark, swarthy, Sw.
bläck
ink, Dan.
blæk
, OHG.
blach
, LG. & D.
blaken
to burn with a black smoke. Not akin to AS.
blāc
, E.
bleak
pallid. √98.]
1.
Destitute of light, or incapable of reflecting it; of the color of soot or coal; of the darkest or a very dark color, the opposite of
white
; characterized by such a color;
as,
black
cloth;
black
hair or eyes
.
O night, with hue so
black
!
Shakespeare
2.
In a less literal sense: Enveloped or shrouded in darkness; very dark or gloomy;
as, a
black
night; the heavens
black
with clouds
.
I spy a
black
, suspicious, threatening cloud.
Shakespeare
3.
Fig.: Dismal, gloomy, or forbidding, like darkness; destitute of moral light or goodness; atrociously wicked; cruel; mournful; calamitous; horrible.
“This day’s black fate.” “Black villainy.” “Arise, black vengeance.” “Black day.” “Black despair.”
Shak.
4.
Expressing menace, or discontent; threatening; sullen; foreboding;
as, to regard one with
black
looks
.
☞ Black is often used in self-explaining compound words; as, black-eyed, black-faced, black-haired, black-visaged.
Black act
,
the English statute 9 George I, which makes it a felony to appear armed in any park or warren, etc., or to hunt or steal deer, etc., with the face blackened or disguised. Subsequent acts inflicting heavy penalties for malicious injuries to cattle and machinery have been called black acts.
–
Black angel
(Zool.)
,
a fish of the West Indies and Florida (
Holacanthus tricolor
), with the head and tail yellow, and the middle of the body black.
–
Black antimony
(Chem.)
,
the black sulphide of antimony,
Sb2S3
, used in pyrotechnics, etc.
–
Black bear
(Zool.)
,
the common American bear (
Ursus Americanus
).
–
Black beast
.
See
Bête noire
.
–
Black beetle
(Zool.)
,
the common large cockroach (
Blatta orientalis
).
–
Black bonnet
(Zool.)
,
the black-headed bunting (
Embriza Schœniclus
) of Europe.
–
Black canker
,
a disease in turnips and other crops, produced by a species of caterpillar.
–
Black cat
(Zool.)
,
the fisher, a quadruped of North America allied to the sable, but larger. See
Fisher
.
–
Black cattle
,
any bovine cattle reared for slaughter, in distinction from dairy cattle.
[Eng.]
–
Black cherry
.
See under
Cherry
.
–
Black cockatoo
(Zool.)
,
the palm cockatoo. See
Cockatoo
.
–
Black copper
.
Same as
Melaconite
.
–
Black currant
.
(Bot.)
See
Currant
.
–
Black diamond
.
(Min.)
See
Carbonado
.
–
Black draught
(Med.)
,
a cathartic medicine, composed of senna and magnesia.
–
Black drop
(Med.)
,
vinegar of opium; a narcotic preparation consisting essentially of a solution of opium in vinegar.
–
Black earth
,
mold; earth of a dark color.
Woodward.
–
Black flag
,
the flag of a pirate, often bearing in white a skull and crossbones; a signal of defiance.
–
Black flea
(Zool.)
,
a flea beetle (
Haltica nemorum
) injurious to turnips.
–
Black flux
,
a mixture of carbonate of potash and charcoal, obtained by deflagrating tartar with half its weight of niter.
Brande & C.
–
Black Forest
[a translation of G.
Schwarzwald
]
,
a forest in Baden and Würtemburg, in Germany; a part of the ancient Hercynian forest.
–
Black game
, or
Black grouse
.
(Zool.)
See
Blackcock
,
Grouse
, and
Heath grouse
.
–
Black grass
(Bot.)
,
a grasslike rush of the species
Juncus Gerardi
, growing on salt marshes, and making good hay.
–
Black gum
(Bot.)
,
an American tree, the tupelo or pepperidge. See
Tupelo
.
–
Black Hamburg (grape)
(Bot.)
,
a sweet and juicy variety of dark purple or “black” grape.
–
Black horse
(Zool.)
,
a fish of the Mississippi valley (
Cycleptus elongatus
), of the sucker family; the Missouri sucker.
–
Black lemur
(Zool.)
,
the
Lemurniger
of Madagascar; the
acoumbo
of the natives.
–
Black list
,
a list of persons who are for some reason thought deserving of censure or punishment; – esp. a list of persons stigmatized as insolvent or untrustworthy, made for the protection of tradesmen or employers. See
Blacklist
,
Verb.
T.
–
Black manganese
(Chem.)
,
the black oxide of manganese,
MnO2
.
–
Black Maria
,
the close wagon in which prisoners are carried to or from jail.
–
Black martin
(Zool.)
,
the chimney swift. See
Swift
.
–
Black moss
(Bot.)
,
the common so-called long moss of the southern United States. See
Tillandsia
.
–
Black oak
.
See under
Oak
.
–
Black ocher
.
See
Wad
.
–
Black pigment
,
a very fine, light carbonaceous substance, or lampblack, prepared chiefly for the manufacture of printers' ink. It is obtained by burning common coal tar.
–
Black plate
,
sheet iron before it is tinned.
Knight.
–
Black quarter
,
malignant anthrax with engorgement of a shoulder or quarter, etc., as of an ox.
–
Black rat
(Zool.)
,
one of the species of rats (
Mus rattus
), commonly infesting houses.
–
Black rent
.
See
Blackmail
,
Noun.
, 3.
–
Black rust
,
a disease of wheat, in which a black, moist matter is deposited in the fissures of the grain.
–
Black sheep
,
one in a family or company who is unlike the rest, and makes trouble.
–
Black silver
.
(Min.)
See under
Silver
.
–
Black and tan
,
black mixed or spotted with tan color or reddish brown; – used in describing certain breeds of dogs.
–
Black tea
.
See under
Tea
.
–
Black tin
(Mining)
,
tin ore (cassiterite), when dressed, stamped and washed, ready for smelting. It is in the form of a black powder, like fine sand.
Knight.
–
Black walnut
.
See under
Walnut
.
–
Black warrior
(Zool.)
,
an American hawk (
Buteo Harlani
).
Syn. – Dark; murky; pitchy; inky; somber; dusky; gloomy; swart; Cimmerian; ebon; atrocious.

Black

,
adv.
Sullenly; threateningly; maliciously; so as to produce blackness.

Black

,
Noun.
1.
That which is destitute of light or whiteness; the darkest color, or rather a destitution of all color;
as, a cloth has a good
black
.
Black
is the badge of hell,
The hue of dungeons, and the suit of night.
Shakespeare
2.
A black pigment or dye.
3.
A negro; a person whose skin is of a black color, or shaded with black; esp. a member or descendant of certain African races.
4.
A black garment or dress;
as, she wears
black
;
pl.
(Obs.)
Mourning garments of a black color; funereal drapery.
Friends weeping, and
blacks
, and obsequies, and the like show death terrible.
Bacon.
That was the full time they used to wear
blacks
for the death of their fathers.
Sir T. North.
5.
The part of a thing which is distinguished from the rest by being black.
The
black
or sight of the eye.
Sir K. Digby.
6.
A stain; a spot; a smooch.
Defiling her white lawn of chastity with ugly
blacks
of lust.
Rowley.
Black and white
,
writing or print;
as, I must have that statement in
black and white
.
–
Blue black
,
a pigment of a blue black color.
–
Ivory black
,
a fine kind of animal charcoal prepared by calcining ivory or bones. When ground it is the chief ingredient of the ink used in copperplate printing.
–
Berlin black
.
See under
Berlin
.

Black

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Blacked
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Blacking
.]
[See
Black
,
Adj.
, and cf.
Blacken
.]
1.
To make black; to blacken; to soil; to sully.
They have their teeth
blacked
, both men and women, for they say a dog hath his teeth white, therefore they will black theirs.
Hakluyt.
Sins which
black
thy soul.
J. Fletcher.
2.
To make black and shining, as boots or a stove, by applying blacking and then polishing with a brush.

Webster 1828 Edition

Black

BLACK

,
Adj.
1.
Of the color of night; destitute of light; dark.
2.
Darkened by clouds; as the heavens black with clouds.
3.
Sullen; having a cloudy look or countenance.
4.
Atrociously wicked; horrible; as a black deed or crime.
5.
Dismal; mournful; calamitous.
Black and blue, the dark color of a bruise in the flesh, which is accompanied with a mixture of blue.

BLACK

,
Noun.
That which is destitute of light or whiteness; the darkest color, or rather a destitution of all color; as, a cloth has a good black.
1.
A negro; a person whose skin is black.
2.
A black dress, or mourning; as, to be clothed in black.

BLACK

,
Verb.
T.
To make black; to blacken; to soil.

Definition 2024

Black

Black

See also: black and bläck

English

Proper noun

Black

  1. A surname​.

Adjective

Black ‎(not comparable)

  1. Alternative letter-case form of black (of or relating to any of various ethnic groups having dark pigmentation of the skin)
    • Pull, Geoffrey K. (ed. Wheeler, Rebecca S.) The Workings of Language, ch. 3: "African American Vernacular English Is Not Standard English with Mistakes", p. 40: "Buried among the jargon of the announcement was a mention of a name for AAVE, suggested by a Black scholar in 1975 [sic] but never adopted by linguists: Ebonics. That word, concocted from ebony (a color term from the name of a dark-colored wood) and phonics (the name of a method for teaching reading), was destined to attach to the board as if chiseled into a block of granite and hung round their necks."

Derived terms

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /blak/

Noun

Black m, f ‎(plural Blacks)

  1. Alternative letter-case form of black

black

black

See also: Black and bläck

English

Wikiquote

Four black chess pieces.
A black woman.
A black man.
A cup of black coffee.

Adjective

black ‎(comparative blacker, superlative blackest)

  1. (of an object) Absorbing all light and reflecting none; dark and hueless.
  2. (of a place, etc) Without light.
  3. (sometimes capitalized) Of or relating to any of various ethnic groups having dark pigmentation of the skin.
    • 2012 November 7, Matt Bai, “Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds”, in New York Times:
      The country’s first black president, and its first president to reach adulthood after the Vietnam War and Watergate, Mr. Obama seemed like a digital-age leader who could at last dislodge the stalemate between those who clung to the government of the Great Society, on the one hand, and those who disdained the very idea of government, on the other.
  4. (chiefly historical) Designated for use by those ethnic groups which have dark pigmentation of the skin.
    black drinking fountain; black hospital
  5. (card games, of a card) Of the spades or clubs suits. Compare red ‎(“of the hearts of diamonds suit”)
    I got two red queens, he got one of the black queens.
  6. Bad; evil; ill-omened.
    • 1655, Benjamin Needler, Expository notes, with practical observations; towards the opening of the five first chapters of the first book of Moses called Genesis. London: N. Webb and W. Grantham, page 168.
      ...what a black day would that be, when the Ordinances of Jesus Christ should as it were be excommunicated, and cast out of the Church of Christ.
    • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling
      Nor were there wanting some, who, after the departure of Jenny, insinuated that she was spirited away with a design too black to be mentioned, and who gave frequent hints that a legal inquiry ought to be made into the whole matter, and that some people should be forced to produce the girl.
  7. Expressing menace, or discontent; threatening; sullen.
    He shot her a black look.
  8. Illegitimate, illegal or disgraced.
    • 1866, The Contemporary Review, London: A. Strahan, page 338.
      Foodstuffs were rationed and, as in other countries in a similar situation, the black market was flourishing.
  9. (Ireland, informal) Overcrowded.
  10. (of coffee or tea) Without any cream, milk, or creamer.
    Jim drinks his coffee black, but Ellen prefers it with creamer.
  11. (board games, chess) Of or relating to the playing pieces of a board game deemed to belong to the "black" set (in chess the set used by the player who moves second) (often regardless of the pieces' actual colour).
    The black pieces in this chess set are made of dark blue glass.
  12. (typography) Said of a symbol or character that is solid, filled with color. Compare white ‎(“said of a character or symbol outline, not filled with color”).
    Compare two Unicode symbols: ☞ = "WHITE RIGHT POINTING INDEX"; ☛ = BLACK RIGHT POINTING INDEX
  13. (politics) Related to the Christian Democratic Union of Germany.
    After the election, the parties united in a black-yellow alliance.
  14. Relating to a initiative whose existence or exact nature must remain withheld from the general public.
    5 percent of the Defense Department funding will go to black projects.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Translations

Noun

black ‎(plural blacks)

  1. The colour/color perceived in the absence of light.
    black colour:    
    • Shakespeare
      Black is the badge of ****, / The hue of dungeons, and the suit of night.
  2. A black dye or pigment.
  3. A pen, pencil, crayon, etc., made of black pigment.
  4. (in the plural) Black cloth hung up at funerals.
    • 1625, Francis Bacon, "Of Death", Essays:
      Groans, and convulsions, and a discolored face, and friends weeping, and blacks, and obsequies, and the like, show death terrible.
  5. (sometimes capitalised) A person of African, Aborigine, or Maori descent; a dark-skinned person.
    • 2004, Anthony Joseph Paul Cortese, Provocateur: Images of Women and Minorities in Advertising (page 108)
      Prize-winning books continue a trend toward increased representation of blacks, accounting for most of the books with exclusively black characters.
  6. (billiards, snooker, pool, with the) The black ball.
  7. (baseball) The edge of home plate
  8. (Britain) a type of firecracker that is really more dark brown in colour.
  9. (informal) blackcurrant syrup (in mixed drinks, e.g. snakebite and black, cider and black).
  10. In chess and similar games, the person playing with the black set of pieces.
    At this point black makes a disastrous move.
  11. Part of a thing which is distinguished from the rest by being black.
    • Sir K. Digby
      the black or sight of the eye
  12. (obsolete) A stain; a spot.
    • Rowley
      defiling her white lawn of chastity with ugly blacks of lust

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • (colour, dye, pen): white

Translations

Verb

black ‎(third-person singular simple present blacks, present participle blacking, simple past and past participle blacked)

  1. To make black, to blacken.
    • 1859, Oliver Optic, Poor and Proud; or, The Fortunes of Katy Redburn, a Story for Young Folks
      "I don't want to fight; but you are a mean, dirty blackguard, or you wouldn't have treated a girl like that," replied Tommy, standing as stiff as a stake before the bully.
      "Say that again, and I'll black your eye for you."
    • 1911, Edna Ferber, Buttered Side Down
      Ted, you can black your face, and dye your hair, and squint, and some fine day, sooner or later, somebody'll come along and blab the whole thing.
    • 1922, John Galsworthy, A Family Man: In Three Acts
      I saw red, and instead of a cab I fetched that policeman. Of course father did black his eye.
  2. To apply blacking to something.
    • 1853, Harriet Beecher Stowe, The Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin
      ...he must catch, curry, and saddle his own horse; he must black his own brogans (for he will not be able to buy boots).
    • 1861, George William Curtis, Trumps: A Novel
      But in a moment he went to Greenidge's bedside, and said, shyly, in a low voice, "Shall I black your boots for you?"
    • 1911, Max Beerbohm, Zuleika Dobson
      Loving you, I could conceive no life sweeter than hers — to be always near you; to black your boots, carry up your coals, scrub your doorstep; always to be working for you, hard and humbly and without thanks.
  3. (Britain) To boycott something or someone, usually as part of an industrial dispute.

Synonyms

Translations

Derived terms

Related terms

See also

Colors in English · colors, colours (layout · text)
     red      green      yellow      cream      white
     crimson      magenta      teal      lime      pink
     indigo      blue      orange      gray, grey      violet
     black      purple      brown      azure, sky blue      cyan
  • monochrome
  • Appendix:Word formation verb -en noun -ness

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: question · doubt · around · #408: black · lady · truth · turn

French

Etymology

From English black.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /blak/

Noun

black m, f ‎(plural blacks)

  1. black person

Etymology

From Middle English blak ‎(“black”). Also a variant of Blake, from Old English blāc ‎(“pale”) and Blanc, from Old French blanc ‎(“white”).

Pronunciation

Similar Results