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.

See Examples For:

blacking

This week Hurricane Lowell lashed Hawaii with damaging winds, heavy rainfall and powerful floods, blacking out power across most of one island.

From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026

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

Those moderators have publicly protested earlier Reddit decisions, most recently blacking out much of the site for days when Reddit announced plans to start charging many third-party apps for access to its content.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 22, 2024

Briefly, she considered blacking them with her mother’s paint, but the effort seemed too great, and would fool no one.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

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