black eye
/ˌblæk ˈaɪ/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.89 in modern English
19
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A periorbital hematoma; a visible bruise surrounding a person's eye; an assault causing such a bruise; the eye involved.
noun
A defeat.
noun
Damage to a reputation.
noun
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see black, eye.
Example Sentences
- ""You got a black eye out of him, and that's for publication. We can't have this reign of terror, Mr. Malone.""
- "He looked downward in mournful gloom at the skeet-shooting range he had ordered built for the officers on his headquarters staff, and he recalled the mortifying afternoon General Dreedle had tongue-lashed him ruthlessly in front of Colonel Korn and Major Danby and ordered him to throw open the range to all the enlisted men and officers on combat duty. The skeet-shooting range had been a real black eye for him, Colonel Cathcart was forced to conclude."
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˌblæk ˈaɪ/