⚫BLACK IDIOMS⚫

Black and white
To take everything into consideration

and judge everything as either one way or the other, good or bad. EX: Our boss always thinks that everything is straightforward, but he doesn’t realise that this whole situation is not as black and white as he thinks!

Black and blue
Used to describe something that is badly bruised
EX: John’s face was black and blue after the boxing match.

Black eye
A bruise near one’s eye. EX: Fred came home with a horrible black eye today, but he won’t tell us what happened!

Black out
means to, either darken by putting out or dimming the lights, or to lose consciousness.
EX:  We had a huge black out here last night, the whole town was out of power for about 7 hours!

Black market
A term used for places where goods are illegally bought and sold for a profit.
EX: Jerry used to sell cigarettes from South America on the black market!

Blacklist someone
To write someone’s name on a list if they break any rules, and ban them from having the opportunity to take part again
EX: I was in a lot of debt a while ago, and was unable to pay it all back, so I’ve been blacklisted.

Blackmail someone
To extort or take money from someone by using their secrets against them and threatening to reveal it to others
EX:  He has been blackmailing me for months with some photos that I didn’t know he had.

In someone’s black books
To be in disgrace or in disfavour with someone
EX:  After that argument yesterday, I assure you he will be in a lot of people’s black books for quite some time!

Black tie event/affair
A formal event where male guests wear black bow ties with tuxedos or dinner jackets
EX: The award’s ceremony will be a black tie event.

Black sheep
Used to describe a person who is the ‘odd one out’ of a group, and doesn’t fit in with others around them.
EX: I have always been the black sheep in my family, I have a completely different personality to all of them.