black

▪ I. black black ¹ [blæk] adjective

not allowed by trade union S to be handled or used by their members during a disagreement between management and employees:

• The British Seamen's Union declared the ship black and picketed her on her return from Loch Fyne.

  [m0] ▪ II. black black ² verb [transitive]

if a trade union blacks a company or blacks goods, it refuses to work with them or deal with them; = BOYCOTT

  [m0] ▪ III. black black ³ noun

FINANCE COMMERCE in the black if a business is in the black, it is making a profit:

• The group is still in the black but trading in the first two months of the year has been difficult.

— compare in ➔ red

* * *

Ⅰ.

black UK US /blæk/ noun FINANCE

● in the black — Cf. in the black

● go into/move into/return to, etc. the black — Cf. return to the black

→ Compare RED(Cf. ↑red)

Ⅱ.

black UK US /blæk/ verb [T]

► UK if a trade union blacks goods, an organization, etc. it refuses to deal with them