Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Black \Black\, a. [OE. blak, AS. bl[ae]c; akin to Icel. blakkr
   dark, swarthy, Sw. bl["a]ck ink, Dan. bl[ae]k, OHG. blach,
   LG. & D. blaken to burn with a black smoke. Not akin to AS.
   bl[=a]c, E. bleak pallid. ?98.]
   1. Destitute of light, or incapable of reflecting it; of the
      color of soot or coal; of the darkest or a very dark
      color, the opposite of white; characterized by such a
      color; as, black cloth; black hair or eyes.

            O night, with hue so black!           --Shak.

   2. In a less literal sense: Enveloped or shrouded in
      darkness; very dark or gloomy; as, a black night; the
      heavens black with clouds.

            I spy a black, suspicious, threatening cloud.
                                                  --Shak.

   3. Fig.: Dismal, gloomy, or forbidding, like darkness;
      destitute of moral light or goodness; atrociously wicked;
      cruel; mournful; calamitous; horrible. ``This day's black
      fate.'' ``Black villainy.'' ``Arise, black vengeance.''
      ``Black day.'' ``Black despair.'' --Shak.

   4. Expressing menace, or discontent; threatening; sullen;
      foreboding; as, to regard one with black looks.

   Note: Black is often used in self-explaining compound words;
         as, black-eyed, black-faced, black-haired,
         black-visaged.

   {Black act}, the English statute 9 George I, which makes it a
      felony to appear armed in any park or warren, etc., or to
      hunt or steal deer, etc., with the face blackened or
      disguised. Subsequent acts inflicting heavy penalties for
      malicious injuries to cattle and machinery have been
      called black acts.

   {Black angel} (Zo["o]l.), a fish of the West Indies and
      Florida ({Holacanthus tricolor}), with the head and tail
      yellow, and the middle of the body black.

   {Black antimony} (Chem.), the black sulphide of antimony,
      {Sb2S3}, used in pyrotechnics, etc.

   {Black bear} (Zo["o]l.), the common American bear ({Ursus
      Americanus}).

   {Black beast}. See {B[^e]te noire}.

   {Black beetle} (Zo["o]l.), the common large cockroach
      ({Blatta orientalis}).

   {Black and blue}, the dark color of a bruise in the flesh,
      which is accompanied with a mixture of blue. ``To pinch
      the slatterns black and blue.'' --Hudibras.

   {Black bonnet} (Zo["o]l.), the black-headed bunting ({Embriza
      Sch[oe]niclus}) of Europe.

   {Black canker}, a disease in turnips and other crops,
      produced by a species of caterpillar.

   {Black cat} (Zo["o]l.), the fisher, a quadruped of North
      America allied to the sable, but larger. See {Fisher}.

   {Black cattle}, any bovine cattle reared for slaughter, in
      distinction from dairy cattle. [Eng.]

   {Black cherry}. See under {Cherry}.

   {Black cockatoo} (Zo["o]l.), the palm cockatoo. See
      {Cockatoo}.

   {Black copper}. Same as {Melaconite}.

   {Black currant}. (Bot.) See {Currant}.

   {Black diamond}. (Min.) See {Carbonado}.

   {Black draught} (Med.), a cathartic medicine, composed of
      senna and magnesia.

   {Black drop} (Med.), vinegar of opium; a narcotic preparation
      consisting essentially of a solution of opium in vinegar.
      

   {Black earth}, mold; earth of a dark color. --Woodward.

   {Black flag}, the flag of a pirate, often bearing in white a
      skull and crossbones; a signal of defiance.

   {Black flea} (Zo["o]l.), a flea beetle ({Haltica nemorum})
      injurious to turnips.

   {Black flux}, a mixture of carbonate of potash and charcoal,
      obtained by deflagrating tartar with half its weight of
      niter. --Brande & C.

   {Black fly}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) In the United States, a small, venomous, two-winged
          fly of the genus {Simulium} of several species,
          exceedingly abundant and troublesome in the northern
          forests. The larv[ae] are aquatic.
      (b) A black plant louse, as the bean aphis ({A. fab[ae]}).
          

   {Black Forest} [a translation of G. Schwarzwald], a forest in
      Baden and W["u]rtemburg, in Germany; a part of the ancient
      Hercynian forest.

   {Black game}, or {Black grouse}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Blackcock},
      {Grouse}, and {Heath grouse}.

   {Black grass} (Bot.), a grasslike rush of the species {Juncus
      Gerardi}, growing on salt marshes, and making good hay.

   {Black gum} (Bot.), an American tree, the tupelo or
      pepperidge. See {Tupelo}.

   {Black Hamburg (grape)} (Bot.), a sweet and juicy variety of
      dark purple or ``black'' grape.

   {Black horse} (Zo["o]l.), a fish of the Mississippi valley
      ({Cycleptus elongatus}), of the sucker family; the
      Missouri sucker.

   {Black lemur} (Zo["o]l.), the {Lemurniger} of Madagascar; the
      {acoumbo} of the natives.

   {Black list}, a list of persons who are for some reason
      thought deserving of censure or punishment; -- esp. a list
      of persons stigmatized as insolvent or untrustworthy, made
      for the protection of tradesmen or employers. See
      {Blacklist}, v. t.

   {Black manganese} (Chem.), the black oxide of manganese,
      {MnO2}.

   {Black Maria}, the close wagon in which prisoners are carried
      to or from jail.

   {Black martin} (Zo["o]l.), the chimney swift. See {Swift}.

   {Black moss} (Bot.), the common so-called long moss of the
      southern United States. See {Tillandsia}.

   {Black oak}. See under {Oak}.

   {Black ocher}. See {Wad}.

   {Black pigment}, a very fine, light carbonaceous substance,
      or lampblack, prepared chiefly for the manufacture of
      printers' ink. It is obtained by burning common coal tar.
      

   {Black plate}, sheet iron before it is tinned. --Knight.

   {Black quarter}, malignant anthrax with engorgement of a
      shoulder or quarter, etc., as of an ox.

   {Black rat} (Zo["o]l.), one of the species of rats ({Mus
      rattus}), commonly infesting houses.

   {Black rent}. See {Blackmail}, n., 3.

   {Black rust}, a disease of wheat, in which a black, moist
      matter is deposited in the fissures of the grain.

   {Black sheep}, one in a family or company who is unlike the
      rest, and makes trouble.

   {Black silver}. (Min.) See under {Silver}.

   {Black and tan}, black mixed or spotted with tan color or
      reddish brown; -- used in describing certain breeds of
      dogs.

   {Black tea}. See under {Tea}.

   {Black tin} (Mining), tin ore (cassiterite), when dressed,
      stamped and washed, ready for smelting. It is in the form
      of a black powder, like fine sand. --Knight.

   {Black walnut}. See under {Walnut}.

   {Black warrior} (Zo["o]l.), an American hawk ({Buteo
      Harlani}).

   Syn: Dark; murky; pitchy; inky; somber; dusky; gloomy; swart;
        Cimmerian; ebon; atrocious.



   3. A familiar spirit; a witch's attendant. [Obs.]

            A trifling fly, none of your great familiars. --B.
                                                  Jonson.

   4. A parasite. [Obs.] --Massinger.

   5. A kind of light carriage for rapid transit, plying for
      hire and usually drawn by one horse. [Eng.]

   6. The length of an extended flag from its staff; sometimes,
      the length from the ``union'' to the extreme end.

   7. The part of a vane pointing the direction from which the
      wind blows.

   8. (Naut.) That part of a compass on which the points are
      marked; the compass card. --Totten.

   9. (Mech.)
      (a) Two or more vanes set on a revolving axis, to act as a
          fanner, or to equalize or impede the motion of
          machinery by the resistance of the air, as in the
          striking part of a clock.
      (b) A heavy wheel, or cross arms with weights at the ends
          on a revolving axis, to regulate or equalize the
          motion of machinery by means of its inertia, where the
          power communicated, or the resistance to be overcome,
          is variable, as in the steam engine or the coining
          press. See {Fly wheel} (below).

   10. (Knitting Machine) The piece hinged to the needle, which
       holds the engaged loop in position while the needle is
       penetrating another loop; a latch. --Knight.

   11. The pair of arms revolving around the bobbin, in a
       spinning wheel or spinning frame, to twist the yarn.

   12. (Weaving) A shuttle driven through the shed by a blow or
       jerk. --Knight.

   13.
       (a) Formerly, the person who took the printed sheets from
           the press.
       (b) A vibrating frame with fingers, attached to a power
           to a power printing press for doing the same work.

   14. The outer canvas of a tent with double top, usually drawn
       over the ridgepole, but so extended as to touch the roof
       of the tent at no other place.

   15. One of the upper screens of a stage in a theater.

   16. The fore flap of a bootee; also, a lap on trousers,
       overcoats, etc., to conceal a row of buttons.

   17. (Baseball) A batted ball that flies to a considerable
       distance, usually high in the air; also, the flight of a
       ball so struck; as, it was caught on the fly.

   {Black fly}, {Cheese fly}, {Dragon fly, etc.} See under
      {Black}, {Cheese}, etc. -- {Fly agaric} (Bot.), a mushroom
      ({Agaricus muscarius}), having a narcotic juice which, in
      sufficient quantities, is poisonous. -- {Fly block}
      (Naut.), a pulley whose position shifts to suit the
      working of the tackle with which it is connected; -- used
      in the hoisting tackle of yards. -- {Fly board} (Printing
      Press), the board on which printed sheets are deposited by
      the fly. -- {Fly book}, a case in the form of a book for
      anglers' flies. --Kingsley.{Fly cap}, a cap with wings,
      formerly worn by women. -- {Fly drill}, a drill having a
      reciprocating motion controlled by a fly wheel, the
      driving power being applied by the hand through a cord
      winding in reverse directions upon the spindle as it
      rotates backward and forward. --Knight.{Fly fishing}, the
      act or art of angling with a bait of natural or artificial
      flies. --Walton.{Fly flap}, an implement for killing
      flies. -- {Fly governor}, a governor for regulating the
      speed of an engine, etc., by the resistance of vanes
      revolving in the air. -- {Fly honeysuckle} (Bot.), a plant
      of the honeysuckle genus ({Lonicera}), having a bushy stem
      and the flowers in pairs, as {L. ciliata} and {L.
      Xylosteum}. -- {Fly hook}, a fishhook supplied with an
      artificial fly. -- {Fly leaf}, an unprinted leaf at the
      beginning or end of a book, circular, programme, etc. --
   {Fly maggot}, a maggot bred from the egg of a fly. --Ray.

   {Fly net}, a screen to exclude insects.

   {Fly nut} (Mach.), a nut with wings; a thumb nut; a finger
      nut.

   {Fly orchis} (Bot.), a plant ({Ophrys muscifera}), whose
      flowers resemble flies.

   {Fly paper}, poisoned or sticky paper for killing flies that
      feed upon or are entangled by it.

   {Fly powder}, an arsenical powder used to poison flies.

   {Fly press}, a screw press for punching, embossing, etc.,
      operated by hand and having a heavy fly.

   {Fly rail}, a bracket which turns out to support the hinged
      leaf of a table.

   {Fly rod}, a light fishing rod used in angling with a fly.

   {Fly sheet}, a small loose advertising sheet; a handbill.

   {Fly snapper} (Zo["o]l.), an American bird ({Phainopepla
      nitens}), allied to the chatterers and shrikes. The male
      is glossy blue-black; the female brownish gray.

   {Fly wheel} (Mach.), a heavy wheel attached to machinery to
      equalize the movement (opposing any sudden acceleration by
      its inertia and any retardation by its momentum), and to
      accumulate or give out energy for a variable or
      intermitting resistance. See {Fly}, n., 9.

   {On the fly} (Baseball), still in the air; -- said of a
      batted ball caught before touching the ground.

Source : WordNet®

black fly
     n : small blackish stout-bodied biting fly having aquatic
         larvae; sucks the blood of birds as well as humans and
         other mammals [syn: {blackfly}, {buffalo gnat}]