2. A disease among calves and sheep, characterized by a settling of gelatinous matter in the legs, and sometimes in the neck. [Eng.]
Black" let`ter (&?;). The old English or Gothic letter, in which the Early English manuscripts were written, and the first English books were printed. It was conspicuous for its blackness. See Type.
Black"-let`ter, a. 1. Written or printed in black letter; as, a black-letter manuscript or book.
2. Given to the study of books in black letter; that is, of old books; out of date.
Kemble, a black-letter man!
J. Boaden.
3. Of or pertaining to the days in the calendar not marked with red letters as saints' days. Hence: Unlucky; inauspicious.
Black"list` (&?;), v. t. To put in a black list as deserving of suspicion, censure, or punishment; esp. to put in a list of persons stigmatized as insolvent or untrustworthy, -- as tradesmen and employers do for mutual protection; as, to blacklist a workman who has been discharged. See Black list, under Black, a.
If you blacklist us, we will boycott you.
John Swinton.
Black"ly, adv. In a black manner; darkly, in color; gloomily; threateningly; atrociously. "Deeds so blackly grim and horrid." Feltham.
Black"mail` (&?;), n. [Black + mail a piece of money.] 1. A certain rate of money, corn, cattle, or other thing, anciently paid, in the north of England and south of Scotland, to certain men who were allied to robbers, or moss troopers, to be by them protected from pillage. Sir W. Scott.
2. Payment of money exacted by means of intimidation; also, extortion of money from a person by threats of public accusation, exposure, or censure.
3. (Eng. Law) Black rent, or rent paid in corn, flesh, or the lowest coin, a opposed to "white rent", which paid in silver.
To levy blackmail, to extort money by threats, as of injury to one's reputation.
Black"mail`, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blackmailed (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Blackmailing.] To extort money from by exciting fears of injury other than bodily harm, as injury to reputation, distress of mind, etc.; as, to blackmail a merchant by threatening to expose an alleged fraud. [U. S.]
Black"mail`er (&?;), n. One who extorts, or endeavors to extort, money, by black mailing.
Black"mail`ing, n. The act or practice of extorting money by exciting fears of injury other than bodily harm, as injury to reputation.
Black" Mon`day (&?;). 1. Easter Monday, so called from the severity of that day in 1360, which was so unusual that many of Edward III.'s soldiers, then before Paris, died from the cold. Stow.
Then it was not for nothing that my nose fell a bleeding on Black Monday last.
Shak.
2. The first Monday after the holidays; -- so called by English schoolboys. Halliwell.
Black" monk` (&?;). A Benedictine monk.
Black"moor (&?;), n. See Blackamoor.
Black"-mouthed` (&?;), a. Using foul or scurrilous language; slanderous.
Black"ness, n. The quality or state of being black; black color; atrociousness or enormity in wickedness.
They're darker now than blackness.
Donne.
Black"poll` (&?;), n. [Black + poll head.] (Zoöl.) A warbler of the United States (Dendroica striata).
Black" pud"ding (&?;). A kind of sausage made of blood, suet, etc., thickened with meal.
And fat black puddings, -- proper food,
For warriors that delight in blood.
Hudibras.
Black" Rod` (&?;). (a) the usher to the Chapter of the Garter, so called from the black rod which he carries. He is of the king's chamber, and also usher to the House of Lords. [Eng.] (b) An usher in the legislature of British colonies. Cowell.
Committed to the custody of the Black Rod.
Macaulay.
Black"root`, n. (Bot.) See Colicroot.
Blacks (&?;), n. pl. 1. The name of a kind of in used in copperplate printing, prepared from the charred husks of the grape, and residue of the wine press.