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Meaning of black eye | Babel Free

Noun CEFR B2
/ˌblæk ˈaɪ/

Definitions

  1. A periorbital hematoma; a visible bruise surrounding a person's eye; an assault causing such a bruise; the eye involved.
  2. A defeat.
    figuratively
  3. Damage to a reputation.
    figuratively
  4. An eye having a dark iris, regarded as a point of beauty.
    dated
  5. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see black, eye.

Equivalents

Examples

“"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.”

CEFR level

B2
Upper Intermediate
This word is part of the CEFR B2 vocabulary — upper intermediate level.

See also

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