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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.

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

"I was blacking out and fainting," Ms Davies, a tattoo artist, said.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2024

Mr Choudhury said it was a miracle he survived his fall in 2021 after he asked two walkers to take his photograph before suddenly blacking out and plunging down the ravine.

From BBC • Aug. 29, 2023

“I think the reason that you redact records like this, records that are just silly to redact in the first place, it’s about normalizing the blacking out of records,” he said.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 8, 2023

Barely made it to shore before blacking out.

From "The Thing About Jellyfish" by Ali Benjamin

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