Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A cutoff of electric power, especially as a result of a shortage, a mechanical failure, or overuse by consumers.
  • noun The concealment or extinguishment of lights that might be visible to enemy aircraft during an air raid.
  • noun The sudden extinguishment of all stage lights in a theater to indicate the passage of time or to mark the end of an act or scene.
  • noun A short, comic vaudeville skit that ends with lights off.
  • noun A temporary loss of memory or consciousness.
  • noun A suppression, as of news, by censorship.
  • noun A suppression of the broadcast of an event or program, as to support ticket sales at a local venue.
  • noun A suspension of a discounted price or free offer, as for an airline ticket or a lift ticket at a ski resort.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb to experience a temporary loss of consciousness, memory, or vision.
  • transitive verb to cause to become black, such as a stage, a computer screen, or a city.
  • transitive verb to impose a blackout on (news or a sports event).
  • transitive verb to make (a written text) illegible by applying a black ink over it; to blot out.
  • transitive verb to suppress (a memory).
  • noun a suspension of radio or tv broadcasting.
  • noun any darkness resulting from the extinction of lights.
  • noun the failure of electric power for a general region sufficient to extinguish all normal lighting.
  • noun a momentary loss of consciousness.
  • noun partial or total loss of memory.
  • noun a period during which artificial lighting is forbidden, as in a city as a precaution against an air raid.
  • noun (Theater) the darkening of all stage lights, as at then end of a performance or between acts.
  • noun suppression of information distribution.
  • noun the prohibition of the broadcasting of a sports event, such as a boxing match or football game, sometimes confined to one particular area. It is usually done to encourage sales of tickets to the event.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Temporary loss of consciousness or memory.
  • noun A large-scale power failure, and resulting loss of electricity to consumers.
  • noun The mandatory blocking of all light emanating from buildings as imposed during World War II.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb darken completely
  • verb lose consciousness due to a sudden trauma, for example
  • verb obliterate or extinguish
  • verb suppress by censorship as for political reasons
  • noun a momentary loss of consciousness
  • noun the failure of electric power for a general region
  • noun a suspension of radio or tv broadcasting
  • noun partial or total loss of memory
  • noun darkness resulting from the extinction of lights (as in a city invisible to enemy aircraft)

Etymologies

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Examples

  • This is what I call blackout behavior, and unfortunately ...

    CNN Transcript Nov 25, 2009 2009

  • But before that, I think the government came out with another restriction, which they call blackout period 36 hours, that no, you know, politician would be allowed on television.

    CNN Transcript Feb 22, 2008 2008

  • Secondly, they have what they call a blackout period sometimes, when they change a fund manager, for example.

    CNN Transcript Mar 1, 2002 2002

  • Actually, from what we learned from Katrina, the great blackout from a few years ago, and other disasters, it is wise to have a "survival" kit with enough food, water, and light for a couple of weeks, some means of keeping warm and secure, and a radio (wind-up preferred).

    The End-of-the-World Survival Kit 2009

  • Almaty has been cut off the electricity: dark streets, traffic lights not working, rain, accidents … The whole downtown was in blackout, most micro-districts also.

    Global Voices in English » Kazakhstan: Blackout in Almaty 2009

  • I remembered Estebita and Piri dying in blackout cells, the victims of biological experimentation; Diosdado Aquit, Chino Tan, Eddy Molina and so many others murdered in the forced-labour fields, quarries and camps.

    Cuban hypocrisy « Anglican Samizdat 2010

  • Once again anyone with the last name of Paul gets a blackout from the media and establishment Republicans!

    Pawlenty throws weight behind Senate, House candidates 2010

  • Actually, from what we learned from Katrina, the great blackout from a few years ago, and other disasters, it is wise to have a "survival" kit with enough food, water, and light for a couple of weeks, some means of keeping warm and secure, and a radio (wind-up preferred).

    The End-of-the-World Survival Kit 2009

  • I remembered Estebita and Piri dying in blackout cells, the victims of biological experimentation; Diosdado Aquit, Chino Tan, Eddy Molina and so many others murdered in the forced-labour fields, quarries and camps.

    2010 February « Anglican Samizdat 2010

  • The information blackout is supposed to prevent us and the rest of the world from watching the dictator consolidate his one-man rule for the long term.

    Global Voices in English » Fiji: Bloggers debate media censorship 2009

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