blackbur 
blackbur (blak'ber), w. A local name in the 
United States of the plant li> imi xirictum. 
black-burning (Warbte'ning), </. Scandal- 
ous: used only in the phrase bliick-bnrnini/ 
sJiamc. [Scotch.] 
blackcap (blak'kap), w. 1. One who wears a 
black cap. 2. A name given to various birds 
having the top of the head black, (a) The 
European Mack-capped warbler, Sylvia atricapilla. (6) 
The European titmouse, Pant* major. (<) The American 
lilack-cappetl fly-catching warbler, Myio&taeta putrilliis, 
also called Wtiton't blackcap, (if) The chickadee, Pana 
atricapillw. (e) The black-headed gull. Lams rulHiurulus. 
3. The cattail reed, Typha latifolift.4. A pop- 
ular name of the plant and fruit of the black- 
fruited raspberry, Knbus occidentalis, occurring 
wild in many portions of the United States, and 
also cultivated in several varieties. Also called 
thimbleberry. 5. An apple roasted until it is 
black. 
black-capped (blak'kapt), a. Having black 
on the top of the head : applied to sundry birds. 
See blackcti/i. -. 
black-cat (blak'kat), n. A name of the fisher, 
pekan, or Pennant's marten, Mugtelapennan ti, a 
large blackish marten peculiar to the northerly 
parts of North America. Also called black-fox. 
See cut under fisher. 
black-cattle (blak'kafl), . Cattle reared 
for slaughter, in distinction from dairy-cattle : 
used without reference to color. [Great Britain.] 
blackcoat (blak'kot), w. 1. One who wears a 
black coat : a common and familiar name for a 
clergyman, as redcoat is, in England, for a sol- 
dier. 2. pi. A name given to the German 
reiters, or mercenary troops, in the sixteenth 
and seventeenth centuries, from their black 
armor and dress. 
blackcock (blak'kok), n. The male black- 
grouse or black-game; the heath-cock; a 
grouse, Tetrao tetrix, or Li/rurits tetrix, of the 
Blackcock {Lyriirtis Itfrfx}. 
family Tetraonida; found in many parts of Eu- 
rope. It is mostly black, with a lyrate tail. The female 
is called a stray hen, and the young are called poult*. 
black-damp (blak'damp), n. Carbon dioxid 
gas, which is found in greater or less quantity 
in all collieries, being given off by many coals, 
either mixed with fire-damp, or separately, or 
produced in various other ways, as by the ex- 
halations of the men, by fires, and by explo- 
sions of fire-damp. Also called choke-damp. 
black-dog (blak'dog), H. If. A bad shilling or 
other base silver coin. 2. Hypochondria; the 
blues. [Slang in both senses.] 
black-draught (blak'draft), H. A popular pur- 
gative medicine, consisting of an infusion of 
senna with Epsom salts. 
black-drop (blak'drop), n. A liquid prepara- 
tion of opium in vinegar or verjuice. Also 
called vinegar of opium. Lancaster black-drop, 
:i solution of opium in verjuice with sugar and nutmeg. 
Also called Quaker black-drop. The black-drop of the 
I'nited States Pharmacopoeia, Acetum opii, is similar, ex- 
cept that dilute acetic acid is used. 
black-duck (blak'duk), . 1. The black sco- 
ter, (Edeiuiit nii/ra, one of the sea-ducks or 
Fidignliiue. See cut under scoter. 2. The 
dusky duck of North America, Anas obscura, 
one of the Anatinw, or river-ducks, and a near 
relative of the mallard. The male is mostly black- 
ish, with white lining of the wings and a violet speculum ; 
the female is not so dark. 
black-dye (blak'dl), . A compound of oxid 
of iron with gallic acid and tannin. 
blacken (blak'n), . [ME. blaknen, blackoiien; < 
black, a., + -el.] I. intrans. To grow black 
or davk. 
572 
Air blackened, rolled the thunder. Dryden. 
II. trans. 1. To make black ; darken. 
The little cloud . . . grew and spread, and hlacffcnt'il 
the face of the whole heaven. South. 
2. Figuratively, to sully ; make infamous ; de- 
fame ; cause to appear immoral or vile : as, 
vice blackens the character. 
To this system of literary monopoly was joined an un- 
remitting industry to blacken and discredit in every way 
... all those who did not hold to their faction. 
Burke, Rev. in France. 
blackener (blak'ner), n. One who blackens. 
blackening (blak'ning), n. Any preparation 
used to render the surf ace of iron, leather, etc., 
black. See blacking. 
blackening (blak'ning), . Blackish; approach- 
ing black : as, in lichens, a biatorine exciple is 
colored or blackening, but not coal-black. 
blacker (blak'er), n. One who blacks or 
blackens. 
black-extract (blak'eks"trakt), H. A prepara- 
tion from cocculus indicus, used in adulterat- 
ing beer. 
blackey, . See blacky. 
blackfin (blak'fiu), n. 1. A local name of the 
smolt or young salmon of the first year. 2. A 
local English name of the little weever. 3. A 
whitefish, Coregonus nigripinnis, of the deep 
waters of Lake Michigan, conspicuous by its 
hlackish fins, but otherwise resembling a Cisco. 
blackfish (blak'fish), n. [< black + fish. Cf. 
MLG. blackviscli, LG. blakfish, > G. blackflscli, 
inkfish.] 1. A name of several fishes, (a) A 
local English name of the female salmon about the time of 
spawning. (6) A name of the tautog, Tautoga onitix. See 
cut under tautog. (c) A local Alaskan name of Dallra 
pectoralin, a fish which alone represents the suborder 
Xenomi. See Dallia. (d) A local name in New England of 
the common sea-bass, Centroprigtix furcus : also applied to 
other species of the same genus, (e) A name of a Euro- 
pean scombroid fish, Centrolophus pompilun. (/) A lo- 
cal name in the Frith of Forth, Scotland, of the tadpole- 
fish, Raniceps trlfurcatus. Parnell, Mag. Zool. and Bot.. 
1. 104. 
2. A name of several delphinoid cetaceans, 
especially of the genus Gtobicephahis. Also 
called black-whale. 
black-fisher (blak'fish'er), w, [< blackjisli, 1 
(a), + -pel.] A poacher; one who kills salmon 
in close time. [Scotch.] 
By recruiting one or two latitudinarian poachers and 
black-Jisherif, Mr. H. completed the quota of men which 
fell to the share of Lady B. Scott. 
black-flea (blak'fle), n. A coleopterous insect 
injurious to turnips; the Haltica nemorum of 
naturalists. Also called turnip-flea. 
black-fly (blak'fli), w. 1 . A small dipterous in- 
sect, Simuliuiu molestum, with a black body 
and transparent wings, abounding in moun- 
tainous and wooded parts of New York, New 
England, and northward, and exceedingly an- 
noying to both 7nan and beast. It is closely 
related to the buffalo-gnat. See FSimulium. 
2. The bean-plant louse, Aphis faba: 
blackfoot (blak'fut), . 1. A kind of matri- 
monial go-between, who in a friendly way acts 
as introducer, and generally facilitates the ear- 
lier stages of courtship. [Scotch.] 2. [cnw.] 
One of a certain tribe of North American In- 
dians, the most western division of the Algon- 
kin stock. [In this sense the plural is properly 
Blackfoots, but commonly Blackfeet.] 
black-fox (blak'foks), n. Same as black-cat. 
black-friar (blak'fri'iir), n. [So called from the 
distinctive black gown. Cf. gray-friar, whitc- 
/nnr.] A friar of the Dominican order. Also 
called a predicant or preaching friar, and in France Jaco- 
bin. See Dominican. [Properly written as two words.] 
black-game (blak'gam), n. See blackcock and 
arotas, 
black-grass (blak'gras), . 1. A dark-colored 
rush (Juncus (lerardi) of salt-marshes. [U. 8.] 
2. A species of foxtail grass, Alopccurus 
ni/iTxtiH. [Eng.] 
blackguard (blag'ard), w. and a. [< black + 
guard. See def.] I. H. If. In collective senses 
(properly as two words) : () The scullions and 
lowest menials connected with a great house- 
hold, who attended to the pots, coals, etc., and 
looked after them when the household moved 
from one place to another. 
A lousy slave, that within this twenty years rode with 
the Mack guard in the duke's carriage 'mongst spits and 
dripping-pans '. Webster, White Devil, i. 2. 
(6) A guard of attendants, black in color of 
the skin or dress, or in character. 
Pclagius, Celestius, and other like heretics of the devils 
blackguard. Fuller, Defence (1683), x. 386. (N. E. V.) 
(c) The idle criminal class ; vagabonds gener- 
ally. 
blacking 
How prevent your sons from consorting with the black- 
guard ? 
A. Tvfkfi; I.i<-'ht of Nature (1768), II. 143. (A'. K. D.) 
(d) The vagabond children of great towns; 
"city Arabs," who run errands, black shoes, 
or do odd jobs. 2. A man of coarse and offen- 
sive manners and speech ; a fellow of low char- 
acter; a scamp; a scoundrel. 
The troops which he commanded were the greatest 
blackguards on the face of the earth. 
C. V. Yonge, Life of Wellington, xxvi. 
II. a. If. Belonging to the menials of a 
household; serving; waiting. 
Let a blackguard boy be always about the house to send 
on your errands, and go to market for you on rainy days. 
Stt'ift, Directions to Servants, Cook. 
2. Of bad character ; vicious ; vile ; low ; worth- 
less : said of persons and things. 
Marking certain things as low and blackguard, and cer- 
tain others as lawful and right. T. Hughe*. 
3. Scurrilous; abusive; befitting a blackguard : 
as, blackguard language. 
blackguard (blag ard), v. [< blackguard, .] 
1. trans. To revile in scurrilous language. 
I have been called names and blackguarded quite suffi- 
ciently for one sitting. Thackeray, Xewcomes, xxix. 
H.t intrans. To be, act, or talk like a black- 
guard ; behave riotously. 
And there a batch o' walter lads, 
Blackguarding frae Kilmarnock, 
For fun this day. Burns, Holy Fair. 
blackguardism (blag'ard-izm), n. [< black- 
i/niird + -ism.'] The conduct or language of a 
blackguard; ruffianism. 
This ignominious dissoluteness, or rather, if we may 
venture to designate it by the only proper word, black- 
guardiim, of feeling and manners, could not but spread 
from public to private life. 
ilacaulay, Hallam's Const. Hist. 
blackguardly (blag'ard-li), a. [< blackguard 
"*" -ty ] Characteristic of a blackguard ; ras- 
cally ; villainous : as, a blackguardly business. 
blackguardry (blag'ard-ri), '. [< blackguard 
+ -ry.~\ Blackguards or scoundrels collectively. 
[Rare.] 
black-gum (blak'gum), . A North American 
tree, Ayssa multiflora, 40 to 70 feet high, bearing 
a dark-blue berry. The wood is strong, tough, and 
linwedgeable, and is largely used for the hubs of wheels, 
for yokes, etc. Also called pepperidge and sour-gain. 
blackhead (blak'hed), . 1. A popular name 
of the scaups or sea-ducks of the genus Aithyia: 
as, the greater and lesser blackheads, A. marila 
and A. affinis. See scaup. 2. A local name 
in the United States of the black-headed min- 
now, or fathead, Pimphales promelas. 
blackheart (blak'hart), n. 1. A species of 
cherry of many varieties: so called from the 
fruit being somewhat heart-shaped and having 
a skin nearly black. 
The unnetted black-hearts ripen dark, 
All thine, against the garden wall. 
TeiiHuxoH, The Blackbird. 
2. A wood obtained from British Guiana, suit- 
able for use in building and in furniture-mak- 
ing. 
black-hearted (blak'har"ted), a. Having a 
black or malignant heart. 
black-helmet (blak'hel"met), n. A shell ob- 
tained from a species of mollusk, and used by 
cameo-cutters. McE/ratlt, Com. Diet. 
black-hole (blak'hol), . A dungeon or dark 
cell in a prison ; a place of confinement for sol- 
diers ; any dismal place for confinement by 
way of punishment. 
There grew up ... [an academic] discipline of unlim- 
ited autocracy upheld by rods, and ferules, and the black- 
hole. II. Silencer, Education, p. 98. 
The black-hole Of Calcutta, the garrison strong-room 
or black-hole at Calcutta, measuring about 18 feet square, 
into which 14B British prisoners were thrust at the point 
of the sword, by the Xawah Siraj-ud-Danla, on June 20, 
175S. The next morning all but 23 were dead from suffo- 
cation. 
black-horse (blak'h&rs), . A local name of 
the Missouri sucker, Cyclcptus c longatiis, of the 
family Catontninida;. 
blacking (blak'ing), n. [Verbal n. of black, r.] 
1. A preparation for blacking boots and shoes, 
usually made of powdered bone-black, sperm- 
or linseed-oil, molasses, sour beer or vinegar, 
oil of vitriol, and copperas. Throughout the mid- 
dle ages boots were worn of the brown color natural to 
the leather, or of a dark-red color, not unlike the modern 
Russia leather. There is mention of blacking as early as 
the beginning of the seventeenth century. 
2. In leather-working, any one of a number of 
preparations used in dyeing or staining leather 
black. 3. The name given by founders to a 
black wash, composed of clay, water, and pow- 
