Meaning of black art | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A practice such as witchcraft, sorcery, necromancy, or black magic.
   in-plural, often
2. A process that is esoteric or difficult to master.
   broadly, figuratively

Equivalents

Examples

“dabbling in the black arts”

“In 1690s Salem, anyone was at mortal risk⟳ of being accused of practicing the black arts.”

“For even the enchantresses Circe and Medea could not, by their black arts, prevent⟳ the unfaithfulness of Odysseus and Jason.”

“As a parish priest in England he had dabbled in the black arts, seduced a number⟳ of his congregation from their faith and finally celebrated the Black Mass.”

“Operating a hand card punch was something of a black art.”

“Traincrew management has always been a bit of a black art, rather than a science. The present⟳ traincrew difficulties that beset the UK rail industry are neither new nor were they unforeseeable.”

CEFR level