blackout

[ blak-out ]

/ ˈblækˌaʊt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR blackout ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the extinguishing or concealment of all visible lights in a city, military post, etc., usually as a precaution against air raids.

a period during a massive power failure when the lack of electricity for illumination results in utter darkness except from emergency sources, as candles.

Theater.

the extinguishing of all stage lights, as in closing a vaudeville skit or separating the scenes of a play.
Also called blackout skit. a skit ending in a blackout.

Pathology.

temporary loss of consciousness or vision: She suffered a blackout from the blow on the head.
a period of total memory loss, as one induced by an accident or prolonged alcoholic drinking: The patient cannot account for the bizarre things he did during his blackout.

a brief, passing lapse of memory: An actor may have an occasional blackout and forget a line or two.

complete stoppage of a communications medium, as by a strike, catastrophe, electrical storm, etc.: a newspaper blackout; a radio blackout.

a stoppage, suppression, or obliteration: a news blackout.

a period during which a special sales offer, fare rate, or other bargain is not available: The airline's discount on fares does not apply during the Christmas week blackout.

Radio and Television. a prohibition that is imposed on the broadcasting of an event and has the purpose of encouraging or ensuring ticket sales.

Origin of blackout

First recorded in 1910–15; noun use of verb phrase black out

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH blackout

blackout brownout

Words nearby blackout

blackmail, blackmore, blackmun, blackmur, blackness, blackout, blackpatch, blackplate, blackpoll, blackpoll warbler, blackpool

Example sentences from the Web for blackout

But Barney, the stick-man who'd felt my Blackout, caught on a lot quicker.

Vigorish |Gordon Randall Garrett
A Blackout is quite effective—it's hard to hit what you can't see.

Vigorish |Gordon Randall Garrett
I picked her up in my arms and carried her to the same sawdust-strewn private dining room where I'd given Barney the Blackout.

Vigorish |Gordon Randall Garrett
Well, he certainly wasn't much of a perceptive, or he would have been able to handle the Blackout himself.

Vigorish |Gordon Randall Garrett

My Blackout victim was reaching out, trying to find something he could use to raise himself to his feet.

Vigorish |Gordon Randall Garrett

British Dictionary definitions for blackout

blackout

/ (ˈblækaʊt) /

noun

the extinguishing or hiding of all artificial light, esp in a city visible to an enemy attack from the air

a momentary loss of consciousness, vision, or memory

a temporary electrical power failure or cut

electronics a temporary loss of sensitivity in a valve following a short strong pulse

a temporary loss of radio communications between a spacecraft and earth, esp on re-entry into the earth's atmosphere

the suspension of radio or television broadcasting, as by a strike or for political reasons

verb black out (adverb)

(tr) to obliterate or extinguish (lights)

(tr) to create a blackout in (a city etc)

(intr) to lose vision, consciousness, or memory temporarily

(tr, adverb) to stop (news, a television programme) from being released or broadcast

Medical definitions for blackout

blackout

[ blăk′out′ ]

n.

Temporary loss of consciousness due to decreased blood flow to the brain.

Temporary loss of memory.

Cultural definitions for blackout

blackout

The complete loss of electrical power in a particular area. Blackouts can result from a natural disaster, a manmade catastrophe, or simply from an excess of energy demand over supply. (Compare brownout.)

notes for blackout

Rolling blackouts to match supply and demand have become increasingly common in the United States.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

blackout

noun

Origin of blackout

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH blackout

Words nearby blackout

Example sentences from the Web for blackout

British Dictionary definitions for blackout

noun

verb black out (adverb)

Medical definitions for blackout

n.

Cultural definitions for blackout

notes for blackout

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

blackout

noun

Origin of blackout

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH blackout

Words nearby blackout

Words related to blackout

Example sentences from the Web for blackout

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for blackout

noun

verb black out (adverb)

Medical definitions for blackout

n.

Cultural definitions for blackout

notes for blackout

British Dictionary definitions for blackout