black out

black something out 

1. Lit. to cut or turn out the lights or electric power. The lightning strike blacked the entire town out. The manager blacked out the whole building during the emergency to prevent an explosion.

2. Fig. to prevent the broadcast of a specific television or radio program in a specific area. Will they black the game out around here? They blacked out the basketball game in this area.

See also: black, out

black out 

1. Lit. [for lights] to go out. Suddenly the lights blacked out. The power went dead and everything blacked out from the heat.

2. Fig. to pass out; to become unconscious. After I fell, I must have blacked out. I think I am going to black out.

See also: black, out

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black out

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

Related vocabulary: go blank

See also: black, out

black out something also black something out

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)

See also: black, out