black (redirected from Black, Joseph)

not be as black as you are/it is painted

if people or situations are not as black as they are painted, they are not as bad as people say they are. I've met him a few times. He's not as black as he's painted.

black and blue

if a person or part of their body is black and blue, their skin is covered with bruises (= black marks caused by being hit). He was beaten black and blue at boarding school.

See also: blue

black and white

if you think facts or situations are black and white, you have a simple and very certain opinion about them, often when other people think they are really more complicated. The issue of nuclear weapons isn't as black and white as it used to be.

See also: white

a black day

a day when something very unpleasant or sad happens. A bomb went off early this morning. This is a black day for the peace process. (usually + for)

See also: day

a black mark

if you get a black mark, people think that something you have done is bad and they will remember it in future. This administrative error will be a black mark on his record. If I'm late for work it'll be another black mark against me. (often + against)

See also: mark

the black sheep (of the family)

someone who is thought to be a bad person by the rest of their family. My father was the black sheep - he ran away at 16 to become an actor and his parents never forgave him.

See also: sheep

in black and white

written down. I wouldn't have believed him capable of fraud, but there it was, in black and white.

See also: white

the pot calling the kettle black

something that you say which means someone should not criticize another person for a fault that they have themselves. Elliot accused me of being selfish. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

See also: calling, kettle, pot

pretend/say that black is white

to say the opposite of what is really true. She'll say that black is white if she thinks it's to her advantage.

See also: say, that, white

swear up and down (American & Australian, British & Australian, Australian)

to say that something is completely true, especially when someone does not believe you. He swore up and down that he'd never seen the letter. If I ask her, I know she'll swear blind she locked the door. He swore black and blue he had nothing to do with the missing money.

See also: down, swear

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black and white

a very clear choice that causes no confusion. When you're flying a plane, it's black and white — you can't be wrong, you've got to be right.

Etymology: based on the clear difference between the colors

See also: white

black out

to stop being conscious. I blacked out right after the accident.

go blank

black out something

1. to stop delivering or receiving electricity. The power failure blacked out all of northern Illinois.

2. to keep from being broadcast or printed. Tonight's game has been blacked out on local television so you have to buy tickets to see it. The local papers blacked out news of the disaster.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of black something out (= to keep something from being seen by covering it with black)

in black and white

1. in written or printed form. Your offer sounds good, but I want you to put it in black and white.

2. as involving clear choices. She tends to view the political world in black and white, with good guys and bad guys.

Etymology: based on the idea of black printing or writing on white paper

See also: white

in the black

in a situation in which you are earning more money than you are spending. Some states have legalized gambling as a way to put their finances in the black.

in the red

the pot calling the kettle black

a situation in which one person criticizes another for a fault they have themselves. Ernie accused me of being selfish. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

See also: calling, kettle, pot

swear up and down

to say as strongly as possible. He swore up and down that he didn't know the guy at all.

Etymology: based on the meaning of swear on the Bible or sometimes swear on a stack of Bibles (= to promise that a statement is true)

See also: down, swear