1.
[syn: blackening, darkening]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Blacken \Black"en\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blackened; p. pr. &
vb. n. Blackening.] [See Black, a., and cf. Black, v.
t. ]
1. To make or render black.
[1913 Webster]
While the long funerals blacken all the way. --Pope.
[1913 Webster]
2. To make dark; to darken; to cloud. "Blackened the whole
heavens." --South.
[1913 Webster]
3. To defame; to sully, as reputation; to make infamous; as,
vice blackens the character.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: To denigrate; defame; vilify; slander; calumniate;
traduce; malign; asperse.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
blackening
n 1: changing to a darker color [syn: blackening, darkening]