Blab, subs. (vulgar).—A revealer of that which should be kept secret; a betrayer; a babbler. A depraved word; once in common use, but rarely employed now, except colloquially. Grose [1785] includes it in his Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue as forming part of the slang of his time. These remarks apply with more or less cogency to blab when used, to signify loose talk or chatter, when employed as a verb, and to the various derivative compounds and allied forms, such as 'blabber,' 'blabbing,' 'blabbing-book,' etc.—a taint of vulgarism now rests upon them all.
Black Act, subs. (American).—A
corrupted form of black art
(q.v.).
Blackamoor's Teeth, subs. (old).—Cowrie
shells—the currency of
some savage tribes.
1700. W. King, Transactioneer, p. 36. He has shells called Blackmoore's Teeth, I suppose . . . from their Whiteness. [m.]
1719. W. Wood, Surv. Trade, p. 334. Known by the Name of Cowries amongst Merchants, or of Blackamores' Teeth among other Persons. [m.]
Black-and-Tan, subs. (vagrants').—Porter
or stout and ale, mixed
in equal quantities. [From
black, in allusion to the dark
colour of porter and stout, + and
+ tan, i.e., of the yellowish
brown colour of ale.]
Black-and-Tan Country, subs. phr.
(American).—The Southern
States of North America. [From
black, a sobriquet for a negro,
+ and + tan, a pun and an
allusion to the slang verb 'to
tan,' to thrash or beat + country;
i.e., the country where the
negroes were tanned or beaten.]
Black and White, subs. phr. (colloquial).—The
black characters
of print or writing on white
paper. Therefore, to put a
thing down in black and white
is to preserve it in writing or in
print. Black on white is a
variant.
1596. Jonson, Every Man in His Humour, IV., ii. I have it here in black and white. [Pulls out the warrant.]
1667. Shirley, Love Tricks, Act ii., Sc. 2. Gov. [with a letter] . . . Alas, poor gentleman! Little does he think what black and white is here.
1712. Spectator, No. 286. My desire is, Sir, that you will be pleased to give us, in black and white, your opinion in the matter of dispute between us.
1714. Spectator, No. 616. They had like to have dumfounded the justice; but his clerk came in to his assistance, and took them all down in black and white.
1837. Carlyle, French Revolution, pt. III., bk. II., ch. viii. His accounts lie all ready, correct in black and white to the uttermost farthing.
1874. Mrs. H. Wood, Johnny Ludlow, 1 S., No. xii., p. 202. 'A man can't so much as put on a pair of clean stockings in the morning, but its laid before high quarters in black and white at mid-day by the secret police!'
Black-Arse, subs. (old).—A kettle;
a pot. [From black, from its
colour, + arse, the posterior,
hinder, or 'bottom' part.]
Black Art, subs. (old).—1. Picking
of locks; burglary. For synonyms,
see Crack.
1591. Greene, Conny-Catch., wks., 1883, II., x., 72. I can set down the subtiltie of the blacke art, which is picking of lockes.
1608. Dekker, Belman of Lond., wks., 1884-5, III., 137. This blacke art . . . is called in English, Picking of Lockes.
