Reference  |  Webster's Dictionary  |  B  |  Biweekly to Black hole

B — Biweekly to Black hole (Part 2 of 6)

etc. — Black bear (Zoöl.), the common American bear — Black beast. See Bête noire. — Black beetle (Zoöl.), 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 (Zoöl.), the black-headed bunting (Embriza Schœniclus) of Europe. — Black canker, a disease in turnips and other crops, produced by a species of caterpillar. — Black cat (Zoöl.), 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 (Zoöl.), 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 (Zoöl.), 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. (Zoöl.) (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 larvæ are aquatic. (b) A black plant louse, as the bean aphis — Black Forest [a translation of G. Schwarzwald], a forest in Baden and Würtemburg, in Germany; a part of the ancient Hercynian forest. — Black game, or Black grouse. (Zoöl.) 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 (Zoöl.), a fish of the Mississippi valley (Cycleptus elongatus), of the sucker family; the Missouri sucker. — Black lemur (Zoöl.), 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 (Zoöl.), 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 (Zoöl.), 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 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 (Zoöl.), an American hawk (Buteo Harlani).

Syn. — Dark; murky; pitchy; inky; somber; dusky; gloomy; swart; Cimmerian; ebon; atrocious.

Black
(Black) adv. Sullenly; threateningly; maliciously; so as to produce blackness.

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.