- black
- black [blak]adj.[ME blak < OE blæc < IE * bhleg-, burn, gleam (> L flagrare, flame, burn) < base * bhel-, to gleam, white: orig. sense, “sooted, smoke-black from flame”]1. opposite to white; of the color of coal or pitch: see COLOR2. [sometimes B-]a) designating or of any of the dark-skinned traditional inhabitants of sub-Saharan Africa, Australia, or Melanesia or their descendants in other parts of the worldb) by, for, or about black people as a group; specif., in the U.S., by, for, or about black Americans [black studies]: see AFRICAN-AMERICAN3.a) totally without light; in complete darknessb) very dark4. without cream, milk, etc.: said of coffee5. soiled; dirty6. wearing black clothing7. evil; wicked; harmful8. disgraceful9. full of sorrow or suffering; sad; dismal; gloomy10. disastrous11. sullen or angry [black looks]12. without hope [a black future]13. inveterate; confirmed; deep-dyed [a black villain]14. humorous or satirical in a morbid or cynical way [black comedy]15. secret; covert; hidden [a CIA black operator]n.1.a) black colorb) a black pigment, paint, or dye2. any substance or thing that is black3. a spot or area that is black4. black clothes, esp. when worn in mourning5. [sometimes B-] a member of a black people6. complete darkness or absence of light7. Chess the player or side with the black or darker-colored piecesvt., vi.1. to make black; blacken2. to polish with blacking——————black out1. to cover (writing, printing, etc.) with black pencil marks or paint2. to cause a blackout in3. to lose consciousness; faint4. to lose all memory of an event or fact——————☆ in the black [from the practice of entering a credit item in account books with black ink]operating at a profit——————☆ into the blackinto a profitable condition financiallyblackishadj.blacknessn.
English World dictionary. V. Neufeldt. 2014.
