Noun: black eye blak I
- A swollen bruise caused by a blow to the eye
"He tried to cover up his black eye with sunglasses";
- shiner [informal], mouse
- A bad reputation
"his behaviour gave the whole family a black eye"
- An unfortunate happening that hinders or impedes; something that is thwarting or frustrating
"The project faced a major black eye when funding was cut";
- reverse, reversal, setback, blow
Derived forms: black eyes
Type of: bruise, contusion, happening, natural event, occurrence, occurrent, reputation, repute
Encyclopedia: Black eye