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black


  7  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Black  \Black\,  a.  [OE.  blak,  AS  bl[ae]c;  akin  to  Icel.  blakkr 
  dark,  swarthy,  Sw  bl["a]ck  ink,  Dan.  bl[ae]k,  OHG.  blach, 
  LG  &  D.  blaken  to  burn  with  a  black  smoke.  Not  akin  to  AS 
  bl[=a]c,  E.  bleak  pallid.  ?98.] 
  1.  Destitute  of  light,  or  incapable  of  reflecting  it  of  the 
  color  of  soot  or  coal;  of  the  darkest  or  a  very  dark 
  color,  the  opposite  of  white;  characterized  by  such  a 
  color;  as  black  cloth;  black  hair  or  eyes. 
 
  O  night,  with  hue  so  black!  --Shak. 
 
  2.  In  a  less  literal  sense:  Enveloped  or  shrouded  in 
  darkness;  very  dark  or  gloomy;  as  a  black  night;  the 
  heavens  black  with  clouds. 
 
  I  spy  a  black,  suspicious,  threatening  cloud. 
  --Shak. 
 
  3.  Fig.:  Dismal,  gloomy,  or  forbidding,  like  darkness; 
  destitute  of  moral  light  or  goodness;  atrociously  wicked; 
  cruel;  mournful;  calamitous;  horrible.  ``This  day's  black 
  fate.''  ``Black  villainy.''  ``Arise,  black  vengeance.'' 
  ``Black  day.''  ``Black  despair.''  --Shak. 
 
  4.  Expressing  menace,  or  discontent;  threatening;  sullen; 
  foreboding;  as  to  regard  one  with  black  looks 
 
  Note:  Black  is  often  used  in  self-explaining  compound  words 
  as  black-eyed,  black-faced,  black-haired, 
  black-visaged. 
 
  {Black  act},  the  English  statute  9  George  I,  which  makes  it  a 
  felony  to  appear  armed  in  any  park  or  warren,  etc.,  or  to 
  hunt  or  steal  deer,  etc.,  with  the  face  blackened  or 
  disguised.  Subsequent  acts  inflicting  heavy  penalties  for 
  malicious  injuries  to  cattle  and  machinery  have  been 
  called  black  acts 
 
  {Black  angel}  (Zo["o]l.),  a  fish  of  the  West  Indies  and 
  Florida  ({Holacanthus  tricolor}),  with  the  head  and  tail 
  yellow,  and  the  middle  of  the  body  black. 
 
  {Black  antimony}  (Chem.),  the  black  sulphide  of  antimony, 
  {Sb2S3},  used  in  pyrotechnics,  etc 
 
  {Black  bear}  (Zo["o]l.),  the  common  American  bear  ({Ursus 
  Americanus}). 
 
  {Black  beast}.  See  {B[^e]te  noire}. 
 
  {Black  beetle}  (Zo["o]l.),  the  common  large  cockroach 
  ({Blatta  orientalis}). 
 
  {Black  and  blue},  the  dark  color  of  a  bruise  in  the  flesh, 
  which  is  accompanied  with  a  mixture  of  blue.  ``To  pinch 
  the  slatterns  black  and  blue.''  --Hudibras. 
 
  {Black  bonnet}  (Zo["o]l.),  the  black-headed  bunting  ({Embriza 
  Sch[oe]niclus})  of  Europe. 
 
  {Black  canker},  a  disease  in  turnips  and  other  crops, 
  produced  by  a  species  of  caterpillar. 
 
  {Black  cat}  (Zo["o]l.),  the  fisher,  a  quadruped  of  North 
  America  allied  to  the  sable,  but  larger.  See  {Fisher}. 
 
  {Black  cattle},  any  bovine  cattle  reared  for  slaughter,  in 
  distinction  from  dairy  cattle.  [Eng.] 
 
  {Black  cherry}.  See  under  {Cherry}. 
 
  {Black  cockatoo}  (Zo["o]l.),  the  palm  cockatoo.  See 
  {Cockatoo}. 
 
  {Black  copper}.  Same  as  {Melaconite}. 
 
  {Black  currant}.  (Bot.)  See  {Currant}. 
 
  {Black  diamond}.  (Min.)  See  {Carbonado}. 
 
  {Black  draught}  (Med.),  a  cathartic  medicine,  composed  of 
  senna  and  magnesia. 
 
  {Black  drop}  (Med.),  vinegar  of  opium;  a  narcotic  preparation 
  consisting  essentially  of  a  solution  of  opium  in  vinegar. 
 
 
  {Black  earth},  mold;  earth  of  a  dark  color.  --Woodward. 
 
  {Black  flag},  the  flag  of  a  pirate,  often  bearing  in  white  a 
  skull  and  crossbones;  a  signal  of  defiance. 
 
  {Black  flea}  (Zo["o]l.),  a  flea  beetle  ({Haltica  nemorum}) 
  injurious  to  turnips. 
 
  {Black  flux},  a  mixture  of  carbonate  of  potash  and  charcoal, 
  obtained  by  deflagrating  tartar  with  half  its  weight  of 
  niter.  --Brande  &  C. 
 
  {Black  fly}.  (Zo["o]l.) 
  a  In  the  United  States,  a  small  venomous,  two-winged 
  fly  of  the  genus  {Simulium}  of  several  species, 
  exceedingly  abundant  and  troublesome  in  the  northern 
  forests.  The  larv[ae]  are  aquatic. 
  b  A  black  plant  louse,  as  the  bean  aphis  ({A.  fab[ae]}). 
 
 
  {Black  Forest}  [a  translation  of  G.  Schwarzwald],  a  forest  in 
  Baden  and  W["u]rtemburg,  in  Germany;  a  part  of  the  ancient 
  Hercynian  forest. 
 
  {Black  game},  or  {Black  grouse}.  (Zo["o]l.)  See  {Blackcock}, 
  {Grouse},  and  {Heath  grouse}. 
 
  {Black  grass}  (Bot.),  a  grasslike  rush  of  the  species  {Juncus 
  Gerardi},  growing  on  salt  marshes,  and  making  good  hay. 
 
  {Black  gum}  (Bot.),  an  American  tree,  the  tupelo  or 
  pepperidge.  See  {Tupelo}. 
 
  {Black  Hamburg  (grape)}  (Bot.),  a  sweet  and  juicy  variety  of 
  dark  purple  or  ``black''  grape. 
 
  {Black  horse}  (Zo["o]l.),  a  fish  of  the  Mississippi  valley 
  ({Cycleptus  elongatus}),  of  the  sucker  family;  the 
  Missouri  sucker. 
 
  {Black  lemur}  (Zo["o]l.),  the  {Lemurniger}  of  Madagascar;  the 
  {acoumbo}  of  the  natives. 
 
  {Black  list},  a  list  of  persons  who  are  for  some  reason 
  thought  deserving  of  censure  or  punishment;  --  esp.  a  list 
  of  persons  stigmatized  as  insolvent  or  untrustworthy,  made 
  for  the  protection  of  tradesmen  or  employers.  See 
  {Blacklist},  v.  t. 
 
  {Black  manganese}  (Chem.),  the  black  oxide  of  manganese, 
  {MnO2}. 
 
  {Black  Maria},  the  close  wagon  in  which  prisoners  are  carried 
  to  or  from  jail. 
 
  {Black  martin}  (Zo["o]l.),  the  chimney  swift.  See  {Swift}. 
 
  {Black  moss}  (Bot.),  the  common  so-called  long  moss  of  the 
  southern  United  States.  See  {Tillandsia}. 
 
  {Black  oak}.  See  under  {Oak}. 
 
  {Black  ocher}.  See  {Wad}. 
 
  {Black  pigment},  a  very  fine,  light  carbonaceous  substance, 
  or  lampblack,  prepared  chiefly  for  the  manufacture  of 
  printers'  ink.  It  is  obtained  by  burning  common  coal  tar. 
 
 
  {Black  plate},  sheet  iron  before  it  is  tinned.  --Knight. 
 
  {Black  quarter},  malignant  anthrax  with  engorgement  of  a 
  shoulder  or  quarter,  etc.,  as  of  an  ox 
 
  {Black  rat}  (Zo["o]l.),  one  of  the  species  of  rats  ({Mus 
  rattus}),  commonly  infesting  houses. 
 
  {Black  rent}.  See  {Blackmail},  n.,  3. 
 
  {Black  rust},  a  disease  of  wheat,  in  which  a  black,  moist 
  matter  is  deposited  in  the  fissures  of  the  grain. 
 
  {Black  sheep},  one  in  a  family  or  company  who  is  unlike  the 
  rest,  and  makes  trouble. 
 
  {Black  silver}.  (Min.)  See  under  {Silver}. 
 
  {Black  and  tan},  black  mixed  or  spotted  with  tan  color  or 
  reddish  brown;  --  used  in  describing  certain  breeds  of 
  dogs. 
 
  {Black  tea}.  See  under  {Tea}. 
 
  {Black  tin}  (Mining),  tin  ore  (cassiterite),  when  dressed, 
  stamped  and  washed,  ready  for  smelting.  It  is  in  the  form 
  of  a  black  powder,  like  fine  sand.  --Knight. 
 
  {Black  walnut}.  See  under  {Walnut}. 
 
  {Black  warrior}  (Zo["o]l.),  an  American  hawk  ({Buteo 
  Harlani}). 
 
  Syn:  Dark;  murky;  pitchy;  inky;  somber;  dusky;  gloomy;  swart; 
  Cimmerian;  ebon;  atrocious. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Black  \Black\,  adv 
  Sullenly;  threateningly;  maliciously;  so  as  to  produce 
  blackness. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Black  \Black\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Blacked};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Blacking}.]  [See  {Black},  a.,  and  cf  {Blacken}.] 
  1.  To  make  black;  to  blacken;  to  soil;  to  sully. 
 
  They  have  their  teeth  blacked,  both  men  and  women, 
  for  they  say  a  dog  hath  his  teeth  white,  therefore 
  they  will  black  theirs  --Hakluyt. 
 
  Sins  which  black  thy  soul.  --J.  Fletcher. 
 
  2.  To  make  black  and  shining,  as  boots  or  a  stove,  by 
  applying  blacking  and  then  polishing  with  a  brush. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Black  \Black\,  n. 
  1.  That  which  is  destitute  of  light  or  whiteness;  the  darkest 
  color,  or  rather  a  destitution  of  all  color;  as  a  cloth 
  has  a  good  black. 
 
  Black  is  the  badge  of  hell,  The  hue  of  dungeons,  and 
  the  suit  of  night.  --Shak. 
 
  2.  A  black  pigment  or  dye. 
 
  3.  A  negro;  a  person  whose  skin  is  of  a  black  color,  or 
  shaded  with  black;  esp.  a  member  or  descendant  of  certain 
  African  races. 
 
  4.  A  black  garment  or  dress;  as  she  wears  black;  pl  (Obs.) 
  Mourning  garments  of  a  black  color;  funereal  drapery. 
 
  Friends  weeping,  and  blacks,  and  obsequies,  and  the 
  like  show  death  terrible.  --Bacon. 
 
  That  was  the  full  time  they  used  to  wear  blacks  for 
  the  death  of  their  fathers.  --Sir  T. 
  North. 
 
  5.  The  part  of  a  thing  which  is  distinguished  from  the  rest 
  by  being  black. 
 
  The  black  or  sight  of  the  eye.  --Sir  K. 
  Digby 
 
  6.  A  stain;  a  spot;  a  smooch. 
 
  Defiling  her  white  lawn  of  chastity  with  ugly  blacks 
  of  lust.  --Rowley. 
 
  {Black  and  white},  writing  or  print;  as  I  must  have  that 
  statement  in  black  and  white. 
 
  {Blue  black},  a  pigment  of  a  blue  black  color. 
 
  {Ivory  black},  a  fine  kind  of  animal  charcoal  prepared  by 
  calcining  ivory  or  bones.  When  ground  it  is  the  chief 
  ingredient  of  the  ink  used  in  copperplate  printing. 
 
  {Berlin  black}.  See  under  {Berlin}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  black 
  adj  1:  being  of  the  achromatic  color  of  maximum  darkness;  having 
  little  or  no  hue  owing  to  absorption  of  almost  all 
  incident  light;  "black  leather  jackets";  "as  black  as 
  coal";  "rich  black  soil"  [syn:  {achromatic}]  [ant:  {white}] 
  2:  of  or  belonging  to  a  racial  group  having  dark  skin 
  especially  of  sub-Saharan  African  origin;  "a  great 
  people--a  black  people--...injected  new  meaning  and 
  dignity  into  the  veins  of  civilization"-  Martin  Luther 
  King  Jr  [ant:  {white}] 
  3:  marked  by  anger  or  resentment  or  hostility;  "black  looks"; 
  "black  words" 
  4:  offering  little  or  no  hope;  "the  future  looked  black"; 
  "prospects  were  bleak";  "Life  in  the  Aran  Islands  has 
  always  been  bleak  and  difficult"-  J.M.Synge;  "took  a  dim 
  view  of  things"  [syn:  {bleak},  {dim}] 
  5:  stemming  from  evil  characteristics  or  forces;  wicked  or 
  dishonorable;  "black  deeds";  "a  black  lie";  "his  black 
  heart  has  concocted  yet  another  black  deed";  "Darth  Vader 
  of  the  dark  side";  "a  dark  purpose";  "dark  undercurrents 
  of  ethnic  hostility";  "the  scheme  of  some  sinister 
  intelligence  bent  on  punishing  him"-Thomas  Hardy  [syn:  {dark}, 
  {sinister}] 
  6:  (of  events)  having  extremely  unfortunate  or  dire 
  consequences;  bringing  ruin;  "the  stock  market  crashed  on 
  Black  Friday";  "a  calamitous  defeat";  "the  battle  was  a 
  disastrous  end  to  a  disastrous  campaign";  "such  doctrines, 
  if  true,  would  be  absolutely  fatal  to  my  theory"-  Charles 
  Darwin;  "it  is  fatal  to  enter  any  war  without  the  will  to 
  win  it"-  Douglas  MacArthur;  "a  fateful  error"  [syn:  {calamitous}, 
  {disastrous},  {fatal},  {fateful}] 
  7:  (of  the  face)  made  black  especially  as  with  suffused  blood; 
  "a  face  black  with  fury"  [syn:  {blackened}] 
  8:  extremely  dark;  "a  black  moonless  night";  "through  the 
  pitch-black  woods";  "it  was  pitch-dark  in  the  celler" 
  [syn:  {pitch-black},  {pitch-dark}] 
  9:  harshly  ironic  or  sinister;  "black  humor";  "a  grim  joke"; 
  "grim  laughter";  "fun  ranging  from  slapstick  clowning  ... 
  to  savage  mordant  wit"  [syn:  {grim},  {mordant}] 
  10:  (of  intelligence  operations)  deliberately  misleading;  "black 
  propaganda" 
  11:  distributed  or  sold  illicitly;  "the  black  economy  pays  no 
  taxes  [syn:  {bootleg},  {black-market},  {contraband},  {smuggled}] 
  12:  (used  of  conduct  or  character)  deserving  or  bringing 
  disgrace  or  shame;  "Man...has  written  one  of  his  blackest 
  records  as  a  destroyer  on  the  oceanic  islands"-  Rachel 
  Carson;  "an  ignominious  retreat";  "inglorious  defeat"; 
  "an  opprobrious  monument  to  human  greed";  "a  shameful 
  display  of  cowardice"  [syn:  {disgraceful},  {ignominious}, 
  {inglorious},  {opprobrious},  {shameful}] 
  13:  (of  coffee)  without  cream  or  sugar 
  14:  dressed  in  black;  "a  black  knight";  "black  friars" 
  15:  soiled  with  dirt  or  soot;  "with  feet  black  from  playing 
  outdoors";  "his  shirt  was  black  within  an  hour" 
  n  1:  the  quality  or  state  of  the  achromatic  color  of  least 
  lightness  (bearing  the  least  resemblance  to  white)  [syn: 
  {blackness}]  [ant:  {white}] 
  2:  total  absence  of  light;  "they  fumbled  around  in  total 
  darkness";  "in  the  black  of  night"  [syn:  {total  darkness}, 
  {lightlessness},  {blackness}] 
  3:  a  person  with  dark  skin  who  comes  from  Africa  (or  whose 
  ancestors  came  from  Africa)  [syn:  {Black},  {black  person}, 
  {blackamoor},  {Negro},  {Negroid}] 
  4:  (chess  or  checkers)  the  darker-colored  pieces 
  5:  black  clothing  (worn  as  a  sign  of  mourning) 
  v  :  make  or  become  black;  "The  smoke  blackened  the  ceiling"; 
  "The  ceiling  blackened"  [syn:  {blacken},  {melanize},  {nigrify}] 
  [ant:  {whiten}] 
 
  From  U.S.  Gazetteer  (1990)  [gazetteer]: 
 
  Black,  AL  (town,  FIPS  7120) 
  Location:  31.00939  N,  85.74321  W 
  Population  (1990):  174  (80  housing  units) 
  Area:  8.0  sq  km  (land),  0.0  sq  km  (water) 
  Zip  code(s):  36314 
  Black,  MO 
  Zip  code(s):  63625 
  Black,  TX 
  Zip  code(s):  79035 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Black 
  properly  the  absence  of  all  colour.  In  Prov.  7:9  the  Hebrew  word 
  means  as  in  the  margin  of  the  Revised  Version,  "the  pupil  of 
  the  eye."  It  is  translated  apple"  of  the  eye  in  Deut.  32:10; 
  Ps  17:8;  Prov.  7:2.  It  is  a  different  word  which  is  rendered 
  black"  in  Lev.  13:31,37;  Cant.  1:5;  5:11;  and  Zech.  6:2,  6.  It 
  is  uncertain  what  the  "black  marble"  of  Esther  1:6  was  which 
  formed  a  part  of  the  mosaic  pavement. 
 




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