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[black out]{v.} 1. To darken by putting out or dimming lights, •/In some plays the stage is blacked out for a short time and the actors speak in darkness./ •/In wartime, cities are blacked out to protect against bombing from planes./ 2. To prevent or silence information or communication; refuse to give out truthful news. •/In wartime, governments often black out all news or give out false news./ •/Dictators usually black out all criticism of the government./ •/Some big games are blacked out on television to people who live nearby./ 3. {informal} To lose consciousness; faint. •/It had been a hard and tiring day, and she suddenly blacked out./

[black sheep]{n.} A person in a family or a community considered unsatisfactory or disgraceful. •/My brother Ted is a high school dropout who joined a circus; he is the black sheep in our family./

[blame] See: TO BLAME.

[blank check]{n.} 1. A bank check written to a person who can then write in how much money he wants. •/John’s father sent him a blank check to pay his school bills./ 2. {informal} Permission to another person to do anything he decides to do. •/The teacher gave the pupils a blank check to plan the picnic./

[blanket] See: WET BLANKET.

[blast off]{v.} 1. To begin a rocket flight. •/The astronaut will blast off into orbit at six o’clock./ 2. Also [blast away] {informal} To scold or protest violently. •/The coach blasted off at the team for poor playing./

[blaze a trail]{v. phr.} 1. To cut marks in trees in order to guide other people along a path or trail, especially through a wilderness. •/Daniel Boone blazed a trail for other hunters to follow in Kentucky./ 2. To lead the way; make a discovery; start something new. •/Henry Ford blazed a trail in manufacturing automobiles./ •/The building of rockets blazed a trail to outer space./ See: TRAILBLAZER.

[bleep out] See: BLIP OUT.

[bless one’s heart]{v. phr.} To thank someone; consider one the cause of something good that has happened. •/Aunt Jane, bless her heart, left me half a million dollars!/

[blessing] See: MIXED BLESSING.

[blind] See: FLY BLIND.

[blind alley]{n.} 1. A narrow street that has only one entrance and no exit. •/The blind alley ended in a brick wall./ 2. A way of acting that leads to no good results. •/John did not take the job because it was a blind alley./ •/Tom thought of a way to do the algebra problem, but he found it was a blind alley./

[blind as a bat/beetle/mole/owl]{adj. phr.} Anyone who is blind or has difficulty in seeing; a person with very thick glasses. •/Without my glasses I am blind as a bat./

[blind date]{n.} An engagement or date arranged by friends for people who have not previously known one another. •/A blind date can be a huge success, or a big disappointment./

[blind leading the blind] One or more people who do not know or understand something trying to explain it to others who do not know or understand. •/Jimmy is trying to show Bill how to skate. The blind are leading the blind./