black out

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Explanation of "Black Out"

Definition: The verb "black out" means to lose consciousness suddenly or to darken something completely. It can also mean to censor or block information, especially in writing.

Usage Instructions:

• When to use: You can use "black out" when talking about losing consciousness, when talking about making a room dark, or when discussing censoring information.

Examples:

1. Losing consciousness: "After hitting his head, he blacked out for a few minutes."
2. Darkening a room: "We blacked out the windows so that no light could come in."
3. Censorship: "Parts of the article were blacked out because they contained sensitive information."

Advanced Usage:

• In a medical context, "black out" can refer to a person losing awareness or memory due to a medical condition, like fainting.
• In a political context, "black out" might refer to the suppression of news or information, such as during a government censorship.

Word Variants:

• Blackout (noun): This is the noun form of "black out." It can refer to a period of time when someone loses consciousness or a complete loss of light.
  • Example: "The city experienced a blackout during the storm."

Different Meanings:

1. Loss of consciousness: "He blacked out after running the marathon."
2. Darkening: "We will black out the room for the movie."
3. Censorship: "The government blacked out certain details in the report."

Synonyms:

• Faint: when referring to losing consciousness.
• Extinguish: when referring to darkening or making something stop.
• Censor: when referring to blocking information.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• "Blackout" (noun): A term often used to describe a temporary loss of consciousness, especially from alcohol or fatigue.

  • Example: "After the party, he realized he had a blackout and couldn't remember the last few hours."

• "Blackout conditions": This phrase can refer to situations where there is a complete loss of visibility or information.

  • Example: "The soldiers operated under blackout conditions to avoid detection."

Summary:

"Black out" is a versatile term that can describe losing consciousness, darkening a space, or censoring information.

Academic

Verb

1. lose consciousness due to a sudden trauma, for example
2. suppress by censorship as for political reasons
   • parts of the newspaper article were blacked out
3. darken completely
   • The dining room blackened out
4. obliterate or extinguish
   • Some life-forms were obliterated by the radiation, others survived

Synonyms

• zonk out
• pass out
• blacken out