Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary полностью

black|bird /blæ kbɜː ^r d/ (blackbirds )

1 N‑COUNT A blackbird is a common European bird. The male has black feathers and a yellow beak, and the female has brown feathers.

2 N‑COUNT A blackbird is a common North American bird. The male has black feathers and often a red patch on its wings.

black|board /blæ kbɔː ^r d/ (blackboards ) N‑COUNT A blackboard is a dark-coloured board that you can write on with chalk. [BRIT ] in AM, use chalkboard

bla ck bo x (black boxes )

1 N‑COUNT A black box is an electronic device in an aircraft which records information about its flights. Black boxes are often used to provide evidence about accidents.

2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] You can refer to a system or device as a black box when you know that it produces a particular result but you have no understanding of how it works. □  They were part of the black box associated with high-flyer management development.

black|cur|rant /blæ kkʌ rənt, [AM ] -kɜːrənt/ (blackcurrants ) N‑COUNT In Europe, blackcurrants are a type of very small, dark purple fruits that grow in bunches on bushes. [BRIT ] □  …a carton of blackcurrant drink.

bla ck eco no|my N‑SING The black economy consists of the buying, selling, and producing of goods or services that goes on without the government being informed, so that people can avoid paying tax on them. [BRIT ] □  …an attempt to clamp down on the black economy.

black|en /blæ kən/ (blackens , blackening , blackened )

1 VERB To blacken something means to make it black or very dark in colour. Something that blackens becomes black or very dark in colour. □ [V n] The married women of Shitamachi maintained the custom of blackening their teeth. □ [V ] You need to grill the tomatoes until the skins blacken.

2 VERB If someone blackens your character, they make other people believe that you are a bad person. □ [V n] They're trying to blacken our name.

bla ck e ye (black eyes ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] If someone has a black eye , they have a dark-coloured bruise around their eye. □  We had a fight: I won and he got a black eye.

black|head /blæ khed/ (blackheads ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Blackheads are small, dark spots on someone's skin caused by blocked pores.

bla ck ho le (black holes ) N‑COUNT Black holes are areas in space, where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from them. Black holes are thought to be formed by collapsed stars.

bla ck i ce N‑UNCOUNT Black ice is a thin, transparent layer of ice on a road or path that is very difficult to see.

black|ish /blæ k I ʃ/ COLOUR Something that is blackish is very dark in colour. □  The water was blackish. □  Katy has long blackish hair.

black|list /blæ kl I st/ (blacklists , blacklisting , blacklisted )

1 N‑COUNT If someone is on a blacklist , they are seen by a government or other organization as being one of a number of people who cannot be trusted or who have done something wrong. □  A government official disclosed that they were on a secret blacklist.

2 VERB [usu passive] If someone is blacklisted by a government or organization, they are put on a blacklist. □ [be V -ed] He has been blacklisted since being convicted of possessing marijuana in 1969. □ [V -ed] …the full list of blacklisted airports. ●  black|list|ing N‑UNCOUNT □  …a victim of Hollywood's notorious blacklisting.

black|mail /blæ kme I l/ (blackmails , blackmailing , blackmailed )

1 N‑UNCOUNT Blackmail is the action of threatening to reveal a secret about someone, unless they do something you tell them to do, such as giving you money. □  It looks like the pictures were being used for blackmail.