blackener (blakner)

blackening (blak'ning), n. used to render the surface of iron, leather, etc., black. See blacking. blacking How prevent your sons from consorting with the black guard? A. Tucker , Light of Nature (1768), II. 143. ( N. E. D.) (d) The vagabond children of great towns; "city Arabs," who run errands, black shoes, or do odd jobs.-2. A man of coarse and offensive manners and speech; a fellow of low char acter; a scamp; a scoundrel. The troops which he commanded were the greatest blackguards on the face of the earth. C. D. Yonge, Life of Wellington, xxvi. II. a . 1†. Belonging to the menials of a household; serving; waiting. Let a blackguard boy be always about the house to send on your errands, and go to market for you on rainy days. Swift , Directions to Servants, Cook. ing black: as, in lichens, a biatorine exciple is colored or blackening, but not coal-black. blacker (blak'ėr), n. One who blacks or blackens. black-extract (blak'ekstrakt), n. A preparation from cocculus indicus, us, used in adulterating beer.