blackout
black-out · noun
Definitions
noun
- 1.
A failure of electrical power supply over a large area.
- 2.
A temporary loss of consciousness or memory.
- 3.
A suppression of news or information by official order.
- 4.
A period during wartime when all lights must be extinguished.
Forms
plural: blackouts
Phrases & expressions
- •news blackout — Official suppression of information.
- •blackout curtains — Heavy curtains that block all light.
- •rolling blackout — Intentional, temporary power cuts.
- •blackout drunk — So intoxicated as to lose memory.
Related words
Antonyms: power restoration
Etymology
From English compound of black + out, first attested in 1913 for theater use (darkening the stage), later extended to power failures and other meanings.