black mark beside name

a black mark beside (one's) name

A mistake or the negative impact thereof that permanently harms one's reputation. Jerry's speeding ticket was a black mark beside his name that prevented him from getting a job as a delivery man. They let me keep my job after I got caught, but the transgression became a black mark beside my name for the rest of my career. That team's general manager has had a black mark beside his name ever since he traded their ace pitcher for next-to-nothing.

See also: beside, black, mark, name

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

*black mark beside one's name

Fig. something negative associated with a person. (*Typically: get ~; have ~; give one ~.) I did it again! Now I've got still another black mark beside my name!

See also: beside, black, mark, name

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.