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   black

   /blak/

   adjective

   • 1. of the very darkest colour owing to the absence of or complete absorption of light; the opposite of white: "black smoke" Similar darkpitch blackas black as pitchpitch-darkjet blackinkycoal blackblackishsableliterary:StygianOpposite white
   • ▪ (of the sky or night) completely dark owing to the sun, moon, or stars not being visible: "the sky was moonless and black" Similar unlitdarkstarlessmoonlessunlightedunilluminatedgloomyduskydimmurkydingyshadowyovercastliterary:crepusculartenebrousrare:StygianCimmerianTartareancaliginousOpposite clearbright
   • ▪ deeply stained with dirt: "the walls were black with age and dirt"
   • ▪ (of a plant or animal) dark in colour as distinguished from a lighter variety: "Japanese black pine" Similar darkpitch blackas black as pitchpitch-darkjet blackinkycoal blackblackishsableliterary:StygianOpposite white
   • ▪ (of coffee or tea) served without milk: "a mug of black coffee"
   • ▪ of or denoting the suits spades and clubs in a pack of cards.
   • ▪ (of a ski run) of the highest level of difficulty, as indicated by black markers positioned along it.
   • 2. belonging to or denoting a human group having dark-coloured skin, especially of sub-Saharan African ancestry. "he discusses the position of black people in America"
   • ▪ denoting or relating to a person of Australian Aboriginal origin or descent. Australian
   • ▪ relating to black people: "black culture"
   • 3. characterized by tragic or disastrous events; causing despair or pessimism: "five thousand men were killed on the blackest day of the war" Similar tragicdisastrouscalamitouscatastrophiccataclysmicruinousdevastatingfatalfatefulwretchedwoefulgrievouslamentablemiserabledireunfortunateawfulterribleliterary:direfulOpposite joyful
   • ▪ (of a person's state of mind) full of gloom or misery; very depressed: "Jean had disappeared and Mary was in a black mood" Similar miserableunhappysadwretchedbroken-heartedheartbrokengrief-strickengrievingsorrowfulsorrowingmourninganguisheddistresseddesolatedevastateddespairinginconsolabledisconsolatedowncastdowndownhearteddejectedcrestfallencheerlessdepressedpessimisticmelancholymorosegloomyglummournfulfunerealdolefuldismalforlornwoefulwoebegoneabjectlow-spiritedlong-facedinformal:bluedown in the mouthdown in the dumpsliterary:dolorousOpposite cheerful
   • ▪ (of humour) presenting tragic or harrowing situations in comic terms: "‘Good place to bury the bodies,’ she joked with black humour" Similar cynicalsickmacabreweirdunhealthyghoulishmorbidpervertedgruesomesadisticcrueloffensive
   • ▪ full of anger or hatred: "Rory shot her a black look" Similar angrycrossannoyediratevexedirritatedexasperatedindignantaggrievedirkedpiqueddispleasedprovokedgalledresentfulirasciblebad-temperedtetchytestycrabbywaspishdarkdirtyfilthyfuriousoutragedthreateningmenacingunfriendlyaggressivebelligerenthostileantagonisticevilevil-intentionedwickednastyhate-filledbitteracrimoniousmalevolentmaliciousmalignantmalignvenomouspoisonousvitriolicvindictiveinformal:shirtystroppynarkyrattyeggyliterary:maleficmaleficentOpposite pleasantfriendly
   • ▪ very evil or wicked: archaic "my soul is steeped in the blackest sin"
   • 4. denoting a covert military procedure: "clearance for black operations came from the highest political level"
   • 5. (of goods or work) not to be handled or undertaken by trade union members, especially so as to express support for an industrial dispute elsewhere: dated British "the union declared the ship black"

   noun

   • 1. black colour or pigment: "a tray decorated in black and green"
   • ▪ black clothes or material, typically worn as a sign of mourning: "only one or two of the mourners were in black"
   • ▪ darkness, especially of night or an overcast sky: "the only thing visible in the black was the light of the torch"
   • ▪ the player of the black pieces in chess or draughts: "Black's king's defences are somewhat weakened"
   • ▪ a black thing, in particular the black ball in snooker.
   • ▪ blackcurrant cordial: informal British "a rum and black"
   • 2. the situation of not owing money to a bank or of making a profit in a business operation: "it is hoped the club will be back in the black by the end of the season"
   • 3. a member of a human group having dark-coloured skin, especially one of sub-Saharan African ancestry.
   • ▪ a person of Australian Aboriginal ancestry. Australian

   verb

   • 1. make (something) black; blacken: "the house was pocked with bullet holes and blacked by smoke" Similar blackendarkendirtymake dirtymake sootymake smokystaingrimebegrimebefoulsoil
   • ▪ make (one's face) black with make-up or another substance, as a disguise or to imitate the appearance of a black person: "revellers would black their faces so as not to be recognized by neighbours or employers"
   • 2. refuse to handle (goods), undertake (work), or have dealings with (a person or business) as a way of taking industrial action: dated British "the union blacked the film because overtime was not being paid" Similar boycottembargoput/place an embargo onblacklistbanbarproscribe

   Word Origin Old Englishblæc, of Germanic origin.

   Derivatives

   • 1. blackish adjective
   • 2. blackly adverb

   Scrabble Points: 13

   • B

     3

   • L

     1

   • A

     1

   • C

     3

   • K

     5

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