blackout
B2Neutral to formal; common in news, technical, and medical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A temporary and complete loss of electricity in an area; a temporary loss of consciousness or memory.
Any deliberate suppression or concealment of information (e.g., media blackout); a period of darkness enforced during wartime to make targets less visible; a sudden, temporary loss of function or activity.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word can refer to the *event* of a power loss, the *state* of darkness, or the *act* of suppressing information. As a verb, it means 'to cause a blackout' or 'to obscure'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the US, 'blackout' is more commonly used for power failures. In the UK, 'power cut' is a frequent synonym, while 'blackout' retains strong associations with WWII air-raid precautions. The verb form is used similarly in both.
Connotations
In the UK, historical wartime connotations are stronger. In both, the medical/loss of consciousness sense is identical.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English for power outage contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[The storm] caused a blackout [in the city].The government imposed a media blackout [on the incident].He suffered a blackout [after the impact].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “blackout drunk (slang: extremely intoxicated, causing memory loss)”
- “blackout the windows”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to a period when certain financial transactions or trading by employees are prohibited (e.g., 'earnings blackout period').
Academic
Used in history (wartime blackouts), engineering (grid failure), and medicine (transient loss of consciousness).
Everyday
Primarily used for power cuts and temporary fainting spells.
Technical
In electrical engineering: a total failure of power supply. In broadcasting: a deliberate signal cut-off.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The BBC was ordered to blackout the coverage of the incident.
- After the hit, he blacked out for a few seconds.
American English
- The stadium management will blackout the game on local TV if tickets aren't sold out.
- The stress caused him to black out during the presentation.
adjective
British English
- They bought blackout lining for the curtains.
- The team observed a blackout period before the financial announcement.
American English
- The apartment has blackout shades in the bedroom.
- All employees must comply with the trading blackout policy.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The blackout lasted for two hours.
- There was a blackout in our street last night.
- During the storm, a blackout affected thousands of homes.
- He had a blackout and can't remember the accident.
- The government imposed a media blackout during the military operation.
- A cascading grid failure caused a nationwide blackout.
- The investigative journalist circumvented the corporate blackout by using leaked documents.
- Her syncope was diagnosed as vasovagal, explaining the recurrent blackouts.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a theatre: the lights go BLACK and everything is OUT. BLACK+OUT = complete darkness or absence.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE/INFORMATION IS LIGHT; IGNORANCE/SECRECY IS DARKNESS. (e.g., 'a media blackout' plunges the public into informational darkness).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводите "media blackout" как "медиа-блэкаут". Лучше: "информационная блокада" или "новостное эмбарго".
- "Blackout drunk" — это идиома, означающая крайнюю степень опьянения с провалами в памяти, а не просто "пьяный".
- В контексте отключения электричества, "blackout" — полное отключение, а "brownout" — снижение напряжения.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'blackout' for a partial power loss (use 'brownout').
- Confusing 'blackout' (event/state) with 'black out' (verb phrase).
- Spelling as one word for the verb (incorrect: 'he blackouted'; correct: 'he blacked out').
Practice
Quiz
In a corporate context, what does a 'blackout period' typically refer to?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A blackout is a complete loss of electrical power. A brownout is a partial, temporary reduction in voltage, often causing lights to dim.
Yes, but the verb form is the phrasal verb 'black out' (two words). It means to lose consciousness temporarily or to obscure something completely (e.g., black out a window, black out text).
It is one word when used as a noun ('a blackout') or adjective ('blackout curtains'). It is two words ('black out') when used as a verb.
A situation where news organisations are prevented, either by authority or by agreement, from reporting on a specific event or topic.
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