blackout
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A temporary loss of memory or consciousness: A state where a person cannot remember events or loses awareness for a short period.
- A period when all lights must be turned off or hidden: A mandatory darkness, especially as a defensive measure during wartime to make a city invisible from the air.
- A failure of electrical power: A widespread power outage affecting a general region.
- A temporary stoppage of broadcasting: A suspension of radio or television transmissions.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- After the accident, she experienced a brief blackout and couldn't recall the impact.
- During the war, the city observed a strict blackout every night.
- The storm caused a major blackout that left thousands of homes without electricity.
- The network went into a news blackout, refusing to report on the sensitive event.
Advanced Usage
- "to have a blackout": to experience a temporary loss of memory or consciousness.
- The boxer had a blackout after the powerful punch.
- "to impose a blackout": to officially enforce a period of darkness or a media silence.
- The government imposed a news blackout during the military operation.
Variants and Related Words
- Black out (verb phrase): To lose consciousness or memory; to cause lights to become invisible.
- He might black out if he stands up too quickly.
- Brownout (noun): A reduction in electrical power supply, less severe than a full blackout.
- The city experienced rolling brownouts to conserve energy.
Synonyms
- Power failure/cut/outage: Terms for a loss of electrical power.
- Faint/syncope: Medical terms for a temporary loss of consciousness.
- Amnesia: A medical condition involving memory loss, often more prolonged.
- Darkness/obscuration: The state of having little or no light.
- Embargo/silence: Terms for a suppression of news or communication.
Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)
- Black out: To lose consciousness; to obscure lights.
- The pilot began to black out from the high G-forces.
- We must black out all windows during the drill.
Related Idioms
- A complete/total blackout: Emphasizes the thoroughness of the memory loss, power loss, or media silence.
- There was a complete media blackout; no information was released.
- News/information blackout: A specific stoppage of news reporting.
- The details of the negotiation were kept secret under an information blackout.
Noun
- partial or total loss of memory
- he has a total blackout for events of the evening
- a momentary loss of consciousness
- the failure of electric power for a general region
- darkness resulting from the extinction of lights (as in a city invisible to enemy aircraft)
- a suspension of radio or tv broadcasting