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of the color of soot or coal; of the darkest or a very dark color, the opposite of white; characterized by such a color; as, black cloth; black hair or eyes. O night, with hue so black! Shak.

One of several books of a political character, published at different times and for different purposes; -- so called either from the color of the binding, or from the character of the contents.

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

A person of stained or low character, esp. one who uses scurrilous language, or treats others with foul abuse; a scoundrel; a rough. A man whose manners and sentiments are decidedly below those of his class deserves to be called a blackguard. Macaulay.

A disease among calves and sheep, characterized by a settling of gelatinous matter in the legs, and sometimes in the neck. [Eng.]

Lacking characteristics which give variety; as, a blank desert; a blank wall; destitute of interests, affections, hopes, etc.; as, to live a blank existence; destitute of sensations; as, blank unconsciousness.

r causes to fail; to visit with a curse; to curse; to ruin; as, to blast pride, hopes, or character. I'll cross it, though it blast me. Shak. Blasted with excess of light. T. Gray.

Containing blebs, or characterized by blebs; as, blebby glass.

To tarnish, as reputation or character; to defame. There had nothing passed between us that might blemish reputation. Oldys.

Full of, characterized by, or causing, joy and felicity; happy in the highest degree. "Blissful solitude." Milton. -- Bliss"ful*ly, adv. -- Bliss"ful*ness, n.

That which characterizes a blockhead; stupidity. Carlyle.

Characterized by blots or heavy touches; coarsely depicted; wanting in delineation. Ruskin.

e's] Henry V. which are current in the mouths of schoolboys. C. Lamb. A lady's maid whose character had been blown upon. Macaulay.

e analysis (Chem.), analysis by means of the blowpipe. -- Blowpipe reaction (Chem.), the characteristic behavior of a substance subjected to a test by means of the blowpipe.

The character or manner of a bluestocking; female pedantry. [Colloq.]

Characterized by blunders.

The characteristic conduct or methods of a Bohemian. [Modern]

The Osage orange (Maclura aurantiaca). The bois d'arc seems to be the characteristic growth of the black prairies. U. S. Census (1880).

Characterized by bombast; highsounding; inflated. -- Bom*bas"tic*al*ly, adv. A theatrical, bombastic, windy phraseology. Burke.

Having the characteristics of a booby; stupid.