I. ˈblak adjective
Etymology: Middle English blak, from Old English blæc; akin to Old High German blah black, and probably to Latin flagrare to burn, Greek phlegein
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. : of the color black
b.
(1) : very dark in color
his face was black with rage
(2) : having a very deep or low register
a bass with a black voice
(3) : heavy , serious
the play was a black intrigue
2.
a. : having dark skin, hair, and eyes : swarthy
the black Irish
b.
(1) often capitalized : of or relating to any of various population groups having dark pigmentation of the skin
black Americans
(2) : of or relating to the Afro-American people or their culture
black literature
a black college
black pride
black studies
(3) : typical or representative of the most readily perceived characteristics of black culture
trying to sound black
tried to play black er jazz
3. : dressed in black
4. : dirty , soiled
hands black with grime
5.
a. : characterized by the absence of light
a black night
b. : reflecting or transmitting little or no light
black water
c. : served without milk or cream
black coffee
6.
a. : thoroughly sinister or evil : wicked
a black deed
b. : indicative of condemnation or discredit
got a black mark for being late
7. : connected with or invoking the supernatural and especially the devil
black magic
8.
a. : very sad, gloomy, or calamitous
black despair
b. : marked by the occurrence of disaster
black Friday
9. : characterized by hostility or angry discontent : sullen
black resentment filled his heart
10. chiefly British : subject to boycott by trade-union members as employing or favoring nonunion workers or as operating under conditions considered unfair by the trade union
11.
a. of propaganda : conducted so as to appear to originate within an enemy country and designed to weaken enemy morale
b. : characterized by or connected with the use of black propaganda
black radio
12. : characterized by grim, distorted, or grotesque satire
black humor
13. : of or relating to covert intelligence operations
black government programs
• black·ish ˈbla-kish adjective
• black·ly adverb
• black·ness noun
II. noun
Date: before 12th century
1. : a black pigment or dye ; especially : one consisting largely of carbon
2. : the achromatic color of least lightness characteristically perceived to belong to objects that neither reflect nor transmit light
3. : something that is black: as
a. : black clothing
looks good in black
b. : a black animal (as a horse)
4.
a. : a person belonging to any of various population groups having dark pigmentation of the skin
b. : Afro-American
5. : the pieces of a dark color in a board game for two players (as chess)
6. : total or nearly total absence of light
the black of night
7. : the condition of making a profit — usually used with the
operating in the black
— compare red
III. verb
Date: 13th century
intransitive verb
: to become black
transitive verb
1. : to make black
2. chiefly British : to declare (as a business or industry) subject to boycott by trade-union members