English English Dictionary

of Blackball

of Blackball

An earthy carbonate of iron containing considerable carbonaceous matter; -- valuable as an iron ore.

The fruit of several species of bramble (Rubus); also, the plant itself. Rubus fruticosus is the blackberry of England; R. villosus and R. Canadensis are the high blackberry and low blackberry of the United States. There are also other kinds.

In England, a species of thrush (Turdus merula), a singing bird with a fin note; the merle. In America the name is given to several birds, as the Quiscalus versicolor, or crow blackbird; the Agelaeus phoeniceus, or red-winged blackbird; the cowbird; the rusty grackle, etc. See Redwing.

A broad board painted black, or any black surface on which writing, drawing, or the working of mathematical problems can be done with chalk or crayons. It is much used in schools.

A beautiful warbler of the United States (Dendroica Blackburniae). The male is strongly marked with orange, yellow, and black on the head and neck, and has an orange-yellow breast.

A small European song bird (Sylvia atricapilla), with a black crown; the mock nightingale.

An American titmouse (Parus atricapillus); the chickadee.

An apple roasted till black, to be served in a dish of boiled custard.

The black raspberry.

A clergyman; -- familiarly so called, as a soldier is sometimes called a redcoat or a bluecoat.

The male of the European black grouse (Tetrao tetrix, Linn.); -- so called by sportsmen. The female is called gray hen. See Heath grouse.

of Black

To defame; to sully, as reputation; to make infamous; as, vice blackens the character.

To make dark; to darken; to cloud.

To grow black or dark.

To make or render black.

of Blacken

One who blackens.