black
♦♦♦ black /bl'æk/ (blacker blackest blacks blacking blacked)
1 [COLOUR]
Something that is black is of the darkest colour that there is, the colour of the sky at night when there is no light at all.
She was wearing a black coat with a white collar...
He had thick black hair...
I wear a lot of black...
He was dressed all in black.
2 [ADJ]
A black person belongs to a race of people with dark skins, especially a race from Africa.
He worked for the rights of black people...
...the traditions of the black community.
3 [N-COUNT] usu pl
Black people are sometimes referred to as blacks. This use could cause offence.
There are about thirty-one million blacks in the US.
4 [ADJ] ADJ n, v n ADJ
Black coffee or tea has no milk or cream added to it.
A cup of black tea or black coffee contains no calories...
I drink coffee black.
5 [ADJ]
If you describe a situation as black, you are emphasizing that it is very bad indeed.
It was, he said later, one of the blackest days of his political career...
The future for the industry looks even blacker.
6 [ADJ]
If someone is in a black mood, they feel very miserable and depressed.
Her mood was blacker than ever.
7 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
Black humour involves jokes about sad or difficult situations.
`So you can all go over there and get shot,' he said, with the sort of black humour common among British troops here...
It's a black comedy of racial prejudice, mistaken identity and thwarted expectations.
8 [ADJ] ADJ n
People who believe in black magic believe that it is possible to communicate with evil spirits.
He was also alleged to have conducted black magic ceremonies...
The King was unjustly accused of practising the black arts.
9 [PHRASE] usu PHR after v, v-link PHR
If you say that someone is black and blue, you mean that they are badly bruised.
Whenever she refused, he'd beat her black and blue...
Bud's nose was still black and blue.
10 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, PHR after v
If a person or an organization is in the black, they do not owe anyone any money.
Until his finances are in the black I don't want to get married.
≠ in the red
11 [PHRASE] N inflects, usu PHR after v
If someone gives you a black look, they look at you in a way that shows that they are very angry about something.
Passing my stall, she cast black looks at the amount of stuff still unsold.black and white
also black-and-white
1 [COLOUR]
In a black and white photograph or film, everything is shown in black, white, and grey.
...old black and white film footage...
The pictures were in black and white.
2 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
A black and white television set shows only black-and-white pictures.
3 [ADJ]
A black and white issue or situation is one which involves issues which seem simple and therefore easy to make decisions about.
But this isn't a simple black and white affair, Marianne...
She saw things in black and white.
= clear-cut
4 [PHRASE] PHR after v, v-link PHR
You say that something is in black and white when it has been written or printed, and not just said.
He'd seen the proof in black and white...black belt (black belts)
1 [N-COUNT]
A black belt is worn by someone who has reached a very high standard in a sport such as judo or karate.
He holds a black belt in karate.
2 [N-COUNT]
You can refer to someone who has a black belt in judo or karate as a black belt.
Murray is a judo black belt.black box (black boxes)
1 [N-COUNT]
A black box is an electronic device in an aircraft which records information about its flights. Black boxes are often used to provide evidence about accidents.
2 [N-COUNT] usu sing
You can refer to a system or device as a black box when you know that it produces a particular result but you have no understanding of how it works.
They were part of the black box associated with high-flyer management development.black econo|my
[N-SING]
The black economy consists of the buying, selling, and producing of goods or services that goes on without the government being informed, so that people can avoid paying tax on them. (BRIT)
...an attempt to clamp down on the black economy.black eye (black eyes)
[N-COUNT] usu sing
If someone has a black eye, they have a dark-coloured bruise around their eye.
He punched her in the face at least once giving her a black eye.black hole (black holes)
[N-COUNT]
Black holes are areas in space, where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from them. Black holes are thought to be formed by collapsed stars.black ice
[N-UNCOUNT]
Black ice is a thin, transparent layer of ice on a road or path that is very difficult to see.black mark (black marks)
[N-COUNT]
A black mark against someone is something bad that they have done or a bad quality that they have which affects the way people think about them.
There was one black mark against him.black mar|ket (black markets)
[N-COUNT]
If something is bought or sold on the black market, it is bought or sold illegally.
There is a plentiful supply of arms on the black market.black mar|ket|eer (black marketeers)
[N-COUNT]
A black marketeer is someone who sells goods on the black market. (JOURNALISM)black out
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you black out, you lose consciousness for a short time.
Samadov said that he felt so ill that he blacked out.
= pass out
2 [PHRASAL VERB] be V-ed P
If a place is blacked out, it is in darkness, usually because it has no electricity supply.
Large parts of the capital were blacked out after electricity pylons were blown up.
3 [PHRASAL VERB] usu passive, be V-ed P
If a film or a piece of writing is blacked out, it is prevented from being broadcast or published, usually because it contains information which is secret or offensive.
TV pictures of the demonstration were blacked out.
= censor
4 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If you black out a piece of writing, you colour over it in black so that it cannot be seen.
U.S. government specialists went through each page, blacking out any information a foreign intelligence expert could use...
= censor
5 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, also V P n (not pron)
If you black out the memory of something, you try not to remember it because it upsets you.
I tried not to think about it. I blacked it out.
see also blackout
= blot outblack pep|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Black pepper is pepper which is dark in colour and has been made from the dried berries of the pepper plant, including their black outer cases.black pud|ding (black puddings)
[N-VAR]
Black pudding is a thick sausage which has a black skin and is made from pork fat and pig's blood. (mainly BRIT)black sheep
[N-COUNT] usu sing, oft the N of n
If you describe someone as the black sheep of their family or of a group that they are a member of, you mean that they are considered bad or worthless by other people in that family or group.black spot (black spots)
also blackspot
1 [N-COUNT]
If you describe a place, time, or part of a situation as a black spot, you mean that it is particularly bad or likely to cause problems. (BRIT)
There are recognised black spots in marriages which can lead to trouble...
2 [N-COUNT]
A black spot is a place on a road where accidents often happen. (BRIT)
The accident happened on a notorious black spot on the A43.black tie
also black-tie
1 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
A black tie event is a formal social event such as a party at which people wear formal clothes called evening dress.
...a black-tie dinner for former students.
2 [N-UNCOUNT]
If a man is dressed in black tie, he is wearing formal evening dress, which includes a dinner jacket or tuxedo and a bow tie.
Most of the guests will be wearing black tie.jet black
also jet-black
[ADJ]
Something that is jet black is a very intense black.
...jet-black hair.
1 [COLOUR]
Something that is black is of the darkest colour that there is, the colour of the sky at night when there is no light at all.
She was wearing a black coat with a white collar...
He had thick black hair...
I wear a lot of black...
He was dressed all in black.
2 [ADJ]
A black person belongs to a race of people with dark skins, especially a race from Africa.
He worked for the rights of black people...
...the traditions of the black community.
3 [N-COUNT] usu pl
Black people are sometimes referred to as blacks. This use could cause offence.
There are about thirty-one million blacks in the US.
4 [ADJ] ADJ n, v n ADJ
Black coffee or tea has no milk or cream added to it.
A cup of black tea or black coffee contains no calories...
I drink coffee black.
5 [ADJ]
If you describe a situation as black, you are emphasizing that it is very bad indeed.
It was, he said later, one of the blackest days of his political career...
The future for the industry looks even blacker.
6 [ADJ]
If someone is in a black mood, they feel very miserable and depressed.
Her mood was blacker than ever.
7 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
Black humour involves jokes about sad or difficult situations.
`So you can all go over there and get shot,' he said, with the sort of black humour common among British troops here...
It's a black comedy of racial prejudice, mistaken identity and thwarted expectations.
8 [ADJ] ADJ n
People who believe in black magic believe that it is possible to communicate with evil spirits.
He was also alleged to have conducted black magic ceremonies...
The King was unjustly accused of practising the black arts.
9 [PHRASE] usu PHR after v, v-link PHR
If you say that someone is black and blue, you mean that they are badly bruised.
Whenever she refused, he'd beat her black and blue...
Bud's nose was still black and blue.
10 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, PHR after v
If a person or an organization is in the black, they do not owe anyone any money.
Until his finances are in the black I don't want to get married.
≠ in the red
11 [PHRASE] N inflects, usu PHR after v
If someone gives you a black look, they look at you in a way that shows that they are very angry about something.
Passing my stall, she cast black looks at the amount of stuff still unsold.black and white
also black-and-white
1 [COLOUR]
In a black and white photograph or film, everything is shown in black, white, and grey.
...old black and white film footage...
The pictures were in black and white.
2 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
A black and white television set shows only black-and-white pictures.
3 [ADJ]
A black and white issue or situation is one which involves issues which seem simple and therefore easy to make decisions about.
But this isn't a simple black and white affair, Marianne...
She saw things in black and white.
= clear-cut
4 [PHRASE] PHR after v, v-link PHR
You say that something is in black and white when it has been written or printed, and not just said.
He'd seen the proof in black and white...black belt (black belts)
1 [N-COUNT]
A black belt is worn by someone who has reached a very high standard in a sport such as judo or karate.
He holds a black belt in karate.
2 [N-COUNT]
You can refer to someone who has a black belt in judo or karate as a black belt.
Murray is a judo black belt.black box (black boxes)
1 [N-COUNT]
A black box is an electronic device in an aircraft which records information about its flights. Black boxes are often used to provide evidence about accidents.
2 [N-COUNT] usu sing
You can refer to a system or device as a black box when you know that it produces a particular result but you have no understanding of how it works.
They were part of the black box associated with high-flyer management development.black econo|my
[N-SING]
The black economy consists of the buying, selling, and producing of goods or services that goes on without the government being informed, so that people can avoid paying tax on them. (BRIT)
...an attempt to clamp down on the black economy.black eye (black eyes)
[N-COUNT] usu sing
If someone has a black eye, they have a dark-coloured bruise around their eye.
He punched her in the face at least once giving her a black eye.black hole (black holes)
[N-COUNT]
Black holes are areas in space, where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from them. Black holes are thought to be formed by collapsed stars.black ice
[N-UNCOUNT]
Black ice is a thin, transparent layer of ice on a road or path that is very difficult to see.black mark (black marks)
[N-COUNT]
A black mark against someone is something bad that they have done or a bad quality that they have which affects the way people think about them.
There was one black mark against him.black mar|ket (black markets)
[N-COUNT]
If something is bought or sold on the black market, it is bought or sold illegally.
There is a plentiful supply of arms on the black market.black mar|ket|eer (black marketeers)
[N-COUNT]
A black marketeer is someone who sells goods on the black market. (JOURNALISM)black out
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you black out, you lose consciousness for a short time.
Samadov said that he felt so ill that he blacked out.
= pass out
2 [PHRASAL VERB] be V-ed P
If a place is blacked out, it is in darkness, usually because it has no electricity supply.
Large parts of the capital were blacked out after electricity pylons were blown up.
3 [PHRASAL VERB] usu passive, be V-ed P
If a film or a piece of writing is blacked out, it is prevented from being broadcast or published, usually because it contains information which is secret or offensive.
TV pictures of the demonstration were blacked out.
= censor
4 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If you black out a piece of writing, you colour over it in black so that it cannot be seen.
U.S. government specialists went through each page, blacking out any information a foreign intelligence expert could use...
= censor
5 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, also V P n (not pron)
If you black out the memory of something, you try not to remember it because it upsets you.
I tried not to think about it. I blacked it out.
see also blackout
= blot outblack pep|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Black pepper is pepper which is dark in colour and has been made from the dried berries of the pepper plant, including their black outer cases.black pud|ding (black puddings)
[N-VAR]
Black pudding is a thick sausage which has a black skin and is made from pork fat and pig's blood. (mainly BRIT)black sheep
[N-COUNT] usu sing, oft the N of n
If you describe someone as the black sheep of their family or of a group that they are a member of, you mean that they are considered bad or worthless by other people in that family or group.black spot (black spots)
also blackspot
1 [N-COUNT]
If you describe a place, time, or part of a situation as a black spot, you mean that it is particularly bad or likely to cause problems. (BRIT)
There are recognised black spots in marriages which can lead to trouble...
2 [N-COUNT]
A black spot is a place on a road where accidents often happen. (BRIT)
The accident happened on a notorious black spot on the A43.black tie
also black-tie
1 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
A black tie event is a formal social event such as a party at which people wear formal clothes called evening dress.
...a black-tie dinner for former students.
2 [N-UNCOUNT]
If a man is dressed in black tie, he is wearing formal evening dress, which includes a dinner jacket or tuxedo and a bow tie.
Most of the guests will be wearing black tie.jet black
also jet-black
[ADJ]
Something that is jet black is a very intense black.
...jet-black hair.