black list
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A list of persons in disgrace, or who have incurred censure or punishment; a list of bankrupts for the private guidance of the mercantile community. See BLACK BOOKS.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “black list” mean?
A list of persons in disgrace, or who have incurred censure or punishment; a list of bankrupts for the private guidance of the mercantile community. See BLACK BOOKS.
Is “black list” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.