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blacking

American

[blak-ing] / ˈblæk ɪŋ /

noun

any preparation for producing a black coating or finish, as on shoes or stoves.

blacking British

/ ˈblækɪŋ /

noun

any preparation, esp one containing lampblack, for giving a black finish to shoes, metals, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of blacking

First recorded in 1590–1600; black + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Over the weekend she said she continued bleeding and suffering a lot of pain, even blacking out on her way to the bathroom at night.

From BBC • Nov. 17, 2025

The Acton Town Council told the utilities commission in January that Edison was blacking out residents when dangerous conditions “do not exist.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 6, 2025

Mr Rogers, 20, passed away after blacking out during a swim training session at Armagh's Orchard Leisure Centre in April 2017.

From BBC • Jan. 28, 2025

In a twist on condo conversions, some people even remodeled the upper floors of their homes — blacking out windows and drilling ventilation holes — to make them habitable for swiftlets.

From New York Times • Apr. 2, 2024

In the midst of painting the blacking on his worn shoes he looked sideways up at her.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023