black

black
{{11}}black (adj.) O.E. blæc "dark," from P.Gmc. *blakaz "burned" (Cf. O.N. blakkr "dark," O.H.G. blah "black," Swed. bläck "ink," Du. blaken "to burn"), from PIE *bhleg- "to burn, gleam, shine, flash" (Cf. Gk. phlegein "to burn, scorch," L. flagrare "to blaze, glow, burn"), from root *bhel- (1) "to shine, flash, burn;" see BLEACH (Cf. bleach).
The same root produced O.E. blac "bright, shining, glittering, pale;" the connecting notions being, perhaps, "fire" (bright) and "burned" (dark). The usual Old English word for "black" was sweart (see SWART (Cf. swart)). According to OED: "In ME. it is often doubtful whether blac, blak, blake, means 'black, dark,' or 'pale, colourless, wan, livid.' " Used of dark-skinned people in Old English.
Of coffee, first attested 1796. Meaning "fierce, terrible, wicked" is late 14c. The color of sin and sorrow since at least c.1300; sense of "with dark purposes, malignant" emerged 1580s (e.g. black magic). Black face in reference to a performance style originated in U.S., is from 1868. Black flag, flown (especially by pirates) as a signal of "no mercy," from 1590s. Black dog "melancholy" attested from 1826. Black belt is from 1875 in reference to districts of the U.S. South with heaviest African population; 1870 with reference to fertility of soil; 1913 in judo sense.
{{12}}black (n.) O.E. blæc "the color black," also "ink," from noun use of BLACK (Cf. black) (adj.). From late 14c. as "dark spot in the pupil of the eye." The meaning "black person, African" is from 1620s (perhaps late 13c., and BLACKAMOOR (Cf. blackamoor) is from 1540s). To be in the black (1922) is from the accounting practice of recording credits and balances in black ink.
For years it has been a common practice to use red ink instead of black in showing a loss or deficit on corporate books, but not until the heavy losses of 1921 did the contrast in colors come to have a widely understood meaning. ["Saturday Evening Post," July 22, 1922]
{{12}}black (v.) c.1200, "to become black;" early 14c., "to make black, darken;" from BLACK (Cf. black) (adj.). Related: Blacked; BLACKING (Cf. blacking).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Black — (bl[a^]k), 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. [root]98.] 1. Destitute of light, or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • black — black; black·a·moor; black·bird·er; black·burn; black·burn·ian; black·en; black·en·er; black·guard·ery; black·guard·ism; black·guard·ly; black·ie; black·ish; black·leg·gery; black·leg·ism; black·ly; black·neck; black·nob; black·pool; black·shop;… …   English syllables

  • 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 COLOR 2.… …   English World dictionary

  • Black — ist das englische Wort für Schwarz eine besonders im US amerikanischen Sprachgebrauch verwendete Bezeichnung für Afroamerikaner ein häufiger Familienname, siehe Black (Familienname) in der Theaterbeleuchtung eine Lichtszene ohne Licht, meist um… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • 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. [1913 Webster] Black is the badge of hell, The hue of dungeons, and the suit of night. Shak. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • black — ► ADJECTIVE 1) of the very darkest colour owing to the absence of or complete absorption of light. 2) deeply stained with dirt. 3) (of coffee or tea) served without milk. 4) relating to a human group having dark coloured skin, especially of… …   English terms dictionary

  • black — [ blak ] n. et adj. • 1790; mot angl. « noir » 1 ♦ Anglic. Fam. Personne de race noire. « Les beurs, blacks et autres banlieusards » (Libération, 1987). ♢ Adj. Musiciens blacks. Mode, musique black. 2 ♦ Loc. adv. Au black : au noir, sans être… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • black — black, blacken verbs. Black is used when the meaning is to deliberately make something black, as in blacking one s face, one s shoes, a person s eye, etc., in the meaning to declare something ‘black’ (i.e. to boycott it), and in the phrasal verb… …   Modern English usage

  • Black — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Black (en castellano: negro) puede referirse a: Música Black, la canción de Pearl Jam; Black, una banda británica de música; Black metal, subgénero musical; Black/Doom, subgénero musical; Miscelánea Black, videojuego …   Wikipedia Español

  • Black — Black, James W. Black, Josep * * * (as used in expressions) Black and Tan Black Sox, escándalo de los Black, Hugo (La Fayette) Black, Sir James (Whyte) black bass Shirley Temple Black …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Black — Black, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Blacked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Blacking}.] [See {Black}, a., and cf. {Blacken}.] [1913 Webster] 1. To make black; to blacken; to soil; to sully. [1913 Webster] They have their teeth blacked, both men and women, for they… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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