12 “Black” Idioms

12 “Black” Idioms

Hi English learners. Is your bank account in the black? If you don’t know what it means, keep on reading because in today’s lesson we are going to learn 12 “black” idioms in English.

How many times have you watched a film or read a book and couldn’t understand an idiomatic expression? Learning an idiomatic language is important because you get to know the real language. Knowing these expressions not only makes your speech sound more natural and colourful but also improves your understanding of culture and tradition. In that regard, let’s look at idioms using the word “black”. Here is the list:

• Be in the black
• Be in someone’s black books
• Black and blue
• Black hat hacker
• Black is white
• Black eye
• Black market
• Black sheep
• Black out
• In black and white
• Pitch black
• Pot calling the kettle black

Be in the black

Meaning: to have money in your bank account, to be solvent or profitable.

• It isn’t easy but our company is managing to stay in the black.
• For as long as your finances are in the black you don’t need to worry about the money.

Be in someone’s black books

Meaning: to be angry with someone because they did something bad to you or because they didn’t do something they were supposed to do.

• I’m in my mother’s black books because I didn’t clean the house.
• if you continue talking like that about my sister, you’ll be in my black books.

Black and blue

Meaning: to have bruises because you have been beaten or had an accident.

• If I ever see you in my neighbourhood, I will beat you black and blue.
• After the accident, his arm was black and blue.

Black hat hacker

Meaning: a person who steals data from people’s computers or does some other cybercrime.

• I’ve heard that programming languages are the most attractive for black hat hackers.
• A black hat hacker broke into my computer and stole my passwords. 

Black is white

Meaning: to say or believe that something false or wrong is true, especially if you can benefit from it.

• I’m sick of the government telling us that black is white only because they can make money from it.
• Peter is so stubborn. He keeps telling me that black is white and I can’t fight with him anymore.

Black eye

Meaning: to have a black bruise around your eye because of being hit.

• Ryan came home with a black eye yesterday. The teacher said he’d been fighting at school.
• Helen tried to cover the black eye on her face with make-up.

Black market

Meaning: illegal trade.

• There was a thriving black market of cigarettes on the island.
• The black market was flourishing during the war.

Black sheep

Meaning: someone who differs from the rest of the family or a group of people, and is usually considered embarrassing.

• Michael is a black sheep of the family ever since he stole that car.
• Stephen has always been a good student but his family considered him a black sheep because he was into art and not law like the rest of them.

Black out

Meaning: to faint, to become unconscious.

• The cause of the accident is probably the truck driver who blacked out at the wheel.
• When she heard the news, Milicent felt faint and blacked out.

In black and white

Meaning: in written or printed form.

• The rules of conduct are in black and white so you can read them and try to obey them as well.
• We need this contract in black and white so we can sign it.

Pitch black

Meaning: completely dark or black.

• The night was pitch black so we had to turn on the torch.
• The town turned pitch black when the light went out.

The pot calling the kettle black

Meaning: to criticise someone for something you do as well.

• Mary told me that I was selfish. Isn’t it the case of the pot calling the kettle black because she is the most selfish person I’ve ever met?
• I’m judgmental? Well, talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

Here is the list of the 12 idioms using the word black we’ve learned today:

• Be in the black
• Be in someone’s black books
• Black and blue
• Black hat hacker
• Black is white
• Black eye
• Black market
• Black sheep
• Black out
• In black and white
• Pitch black
• Pot calling the kettle black

If you liked this lesson, look at our other lessons about idioms:

Learn 13 MUSIC idioms

Learn 12 idioms about FAMILY

Learn 12 idioms related to NATURE

Learn idioms and expressions related to KNOWLEDGE

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