blot (redirected from blotted copybook)

blot your copybook (British & Australian)

to do something which spoils someone's opinion of you. She blotted her copybook by arriving late to a meeting.

a blot on the landscape

something which looks unpleasant and spoils a pleasant view. That new chemical factory is a real blot on the landscape.

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blot out something

to make something stop upsetting you. I twist the pillow over my head to blot out the horrible sounds. She closed her eyes, trying to blot out the memory of the day's events.

block out something

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of blot (= to cover something with drops of ink)