BLACK EYE

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does black eye mean? 

• BLACK EYE (noun)
  The noun BLACK EYE has 3 senses:

1. a swollen bruise caused by a blow to the eye

2. a bad reputation

3. an unfortunate happening that hinders or impedes; something that is thwarting or frustrating

  Familiarity information: BLACK EYE used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BLACK EYE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A swollen bruise caused by a blow to the eye

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

black eye; mouse; shiner

Hypernyms ("black eye" is a kind of...):

bruise; contusion (an injury that doesn't break the skin but results in some discoloration)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A bad reputation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Context example:

his behavior gave the whole family a black eye

Hypernyms ("black eye" is a kind of...):

reputation; repute (the state of being held in high esteem and honor)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An unfortunate happening that hinders or impedes; something that is thwarting or frustrating

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

black eye; blow; reversal; reverse; setback

Hypernyms ("black eye" is a kind of...):

happening; natural event; occurrence; occurrent (an event that happens)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "black eye"):

whammy (a serious or devastating setback)

 Context examples 

Those bold black eyes had nothing to offer.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

He glared from one to the other of us with a pair of blazing black eyes.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Something like fear sprang up in the young lady’s expressive black eyes.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

And dangerous he looked: his black eyes darted sparks.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

The nose and cheek strap worn by the woman and the trail- wrappings about her head allowed only a pair of black eyes to be seen.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Toto was not gray; he was a little black dog, with long silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled merrily on either side of his funny, wee nose.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

She looked him in the face, and I can still see those black eyes of hers softening before the gaze.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“By St. James! it were better so than to be polluted by his touch,” answered the Spaniard, with his black eyes sparkling with rage and hatred.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Such a concentration of rage and scorn as darkened her face, and flashed in her jet-black eyes, I could not have thought compressible even into that face.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

"That's why he has such handsome black eyes and pretty manners, I suppose. Italians are always nice," said Meg, who was a little sentimental.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)