blackout

[blak-out] /ˈblækˌaʊt/
noun
1.
the extinguishing or concealment of all visible lights in a city, military post, etc., usually as a precaution against air raids.
2.
a period during a massive power failure when the lack of electricity for illumination results in utter darkness except from emergency sources, as candles.
3.
Theater.
  1. the extinguishing of all stage lights, as in closing a vaudeville skit or separating the scenes of a play.
  2. Also called blackout skit. a skit ending in a blackout.
4.
Pathology.
  1. temporary loss of consciousness or vision:
    She suffered a blackout from the blow on the head.
  2. a period of total memory loss, as one induced by an accident or prolonged alcoholic drinking:
    The patient cannot account for the bizarre things he did during his blackout.
5.
a brief, passing lapse of memory:
An actor may have an occasional blackout and forget a line or two.
6.
complete stoppage of a communications medium, as by a strike, catastrophe, electrical storm, etc.:
a newspaper blackout; a radio blackout.
7.
a stoppage, suppression, or obliteration:
a news blackout.
8.
a period during which a special sales offer, fare rate, or other bargain is not available:
The airline's discount on fares does not apply during the Christmas week blackout.
9.
Radio and Television. a prohibition that is imposed on the broadcasting of an event and has the purpose of encouraging or ensuring ticket sales.
Origin
1910-15; noun use of verb phrase black out
Can be confused
blackout, brownout.
Examples from the web for blackout
  • Trip specifics are subject to availability and blackout dates.
  • Without the blackout there will be no story, so no awareness.
  • The region was in an accustomed power blackout that night.
  • The blackout caused shock waves because it had not been done before by a programmer.
  • These shifts have such slight bearing on one another that the story becomes little more than a series of blackout sketches.
  • But a news blackout would not be unusual, because propaganda authorities routinely suppress information about ethnic tensions.
  • The old blackout-sketch-blackout routine was replaced by a new form in which satire and current events merged before your eyes.
  • Share any personal experience you may have with blackout drinking.
  • Some properties may have blackout dates so verify the qualifications before booking.
  • Such an attempt could have come moments before the blackout from a rogue or compromised underground crew.
British Dictionary definitions for blackout

blackout

/ˈblækaʊt/
noun
1.
the extinguishing or hiding of all artificial light, esp in a city visible to an enemy attack from the air
2.
a momentary loss of consciousness, vision, or memory
3.
a temporary electrical power failure or cut
4.
(electronics) a temporary loss of sensitivity in a valve following a short strong pulse
5.
a temporary loss of radio communications between a spacecraft and earth, esp on re-entry into the earth's atmosphere
6.
the suspension of radio or television broadcasting, as by a strike or for political reasons
verb (adverb)
7.
(transitive) to obliterate or extinguish (lights)
8.
(transitive) to create a blackout in (a city etc)
9.
(intransitive) to lose vision, consciousness, or memory temporarily
10.
(transitive, adverb) to stop (news, a television programme) from being released or broadcast
Word Origin and History for blackout
n.

also black-out, 1908 in the theatrical sense of a darkened stage, from black + out. Figurative sense of "loss of memory" is 1934 (verb and noun); as a dousing of lights as an air raid precaution, it is recorded from 1935. Verbal phrase black out, in reference to printed or written matter deemed objectionable and covered in black ink, is attested from 1888.

blackout in Medicine

blackout black·out (blāk'out')
n.

  1. Temporary loss of consciousness due to decreased blood flow to the brain.

  2. Temporary loss of memory.

blackout in Culture

blackout definition


The complete loss of electrical power in a particular area. Blackouts can result from a natural disaster, a manmade catastrophe, or simply from an excess of energy demand over supply. (Compare brownout.)

Note: Rolling blackouts to match supply and demand have become increasingly common in the United States.
Slang definitions & phrases for blackout

blackout

modifier

A period during which discount or favorable prices on airlines are arbitrarily canceled: flight from LA to NYC for free (depending on availability, blackout dates and routings) (1990s+)