black-out

A theater stage goes completely dark during a black-out.

Definition

1. Noun:

   • Loss of consciousness: "black-out" refers to a temporary loss of consciousness or memory, often due to a sudden drop in blood pressure, intoxication, or a medical condition.
   • Loss of electrical power: "black-out" also means a complete failure of the electrical power supply in a area, resulting in darkness.
   • Concealment of information: "black-out" can describe the suppression or hiding of news, events, or data, often for security or political reasons.
   • Theatrical darkness: In theater or film, a "black-out" is a period of total darkness on stage, used for scene changes or dramatic effect.

2. Verb (often used as "to black out"):

   • To lose consciousness: To suddenly become unconscious or unable to remember events.
   • To obscure or conceal: To make something invisible or hidden, such as text or lights.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • He had a black-out after standing up too quickly. (A temporary loss of consciousness.)
  • The storm caused a city-wide black-out that lasted for hours. (A loss of electrical power.)
  • The government imposed a news black-out during the crisis. (Concealment of information.)
  • The play ended with a dramatic black-out. (A period of total darkness on stage.)

• Verb (as "to black out"):

  • She blacked out during the heatwave and woke up on the ground. (She lost consciousness.)
  • The censor blacked out the sensitive text in the document. (They obscured the text.)
  • The pilot blacked out from the G-force. (The pilot lost consciousness.)

Advanced Usage

• "to black out a window": to cover or paint a window so that light cannot enter.

  • During the war, residents had to black out their windows to avoid detection. (They covered windows to block light.)

• "a media black-out": a period during which news organizations are prohibited from reporting on a specific topic.

  • The election campaign included a 24-hour media black-out before voting day. (No news coverage was allowed.)

• "to have a black-out": to experience a temporary loss of memory or consciousness.

  • He had a black-out and couldn't remember the accident. (He lost memory temporarily.)

Variants and Related Words

• Blackout (n): a variant spelling of "black-out," often used interchangeably.

  • The blackout affected three million people. (The power loss.)

• Blacked-out (adj): describing something that has been made dark or concealed.

  • The blacked-out windows kept the room completely dark. (Windows covered to block light.)

• Blacking out (v, present participle): the act of losing consciousness or obscuring.

  • She kept blacking out due to low blood sugar. (Repeated losses of consciousness.)

Synonyms

• Faint (v): to lose consciousness briefly.
  • He fainted from the heat. (He had a black-out.)
• Power failure (n): a loss of electrical supply.
  • The power failure lasted all night. (A black-out.)
• Censorship (n): suppression of information.
  • The censorship prevented the news from being published. (A black-out of information.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Black out (v): to lose consciousness or to obscure.
  • The driver blacked out at the wheel and crashed. (He lost consciousness.)
  • Please black out your personal details before sharing the form. (Obscure or hide.)

Related Idioms

• "to be in a black-out": to be in a state of unconsciousness or unawareness.

  • He was in a black-out and couldn't recall the events of the evening. (He was unconscious or had amnesia.)

• "to have a complete black-out": to have a total loss of memory or power.

  • The city had a complete black-out after the earthquake. (No electricity at all.)