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Collocations with Black and White

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Collocations with Black and White

Do you look at the world in black and white? Or do you prefer to see the shades of grey? Well, however you look at the world it seems the English language has many collocations with the colours black and white so we thought it’s time to take a look.

BLACK

Descriptive
to be in the black = when you have money in your bank account or a business shows a profit.
Blackout - a period when all lights must be turned out or covered to prevent them being seen by the enemy during an air raid.
- a temporary loss of consciousness.
to black out = when you lose consciousness or lose your memory temporarily.
Black tie event - a black bow tie worn with a dinner jacket. - formal evening dress.
black and blue = covered with bruises.
put something in black and white = put it in writing
Blackhead - a very small, dark spot on the skin caused by a blocked pore
Blacksmith - a person who makes and repairs things in iron by hand
Black coffee/tea = no cream or sugar

QUIZ

As black as _______ (tar/mud/coal/dirt)
(also: Pitch black = very dark - as black as night - Jet black / completely black = very black)
the black ________ of the family (sheep/goat/cow/cat) = person whose conduct is considered to be a disgrace to the family.
something you say that means people should not criticize someone else for a fault that they have themselves is _______ (the fire calling the chimney black/the pot calling the kettle black/the floor calling the ceiling black)

Negative connotations

a blacklist = list of people who are considered undesirable.
blackmail = getting money from people or forcing them to do something by threatening to tell a secret of theirs or to harm them
to give someone a black look = a look of anger or disapproval.
the black market/black economy = illegal trade.
a black comedy = a film, play, etc. that looks at the funny side of things that we usually consider to be very serious, like death and illness

Black Friday = the day after the US holiday of Thanksgiving, regarded as the first day of the Christmas shopping season, on which retailers make many special offers.

WHITE

QUIZ
As white as _______ (ice/fairy/snow/clean sheets)
(also: Pure/snow white = very white -)
He’s always telling white ________(stories/lies/porkers/tales) = unimportant/trivial things that are not true