— blackener , n.
/blak"euhn/ , v.t.
1. to make black; darken.
2. to speak evil of; defame: to blacken a person's reputation.
v.i.
3. to grow or become black.
[ 1250-1300; ME; see BLACK, -EN 1 ]
Syn. 2. denigrate, smear, slander, villify, libel, traduce, calumniate.