black eye

IPA/ˌblæk ˈaɪ/
IPA/ˌblæk ˈaɪ/

black eye — noun

1. a dark, swollen mark around the eye, caused by a hit or a hard knock

1.名詞B2
釋義

a dark, swollen mark around the eye, caused by a hit or a hard knock

例句

Anna showed up at the office with a black eye from her boxing match.

Vivek's son came home from football practice with a black eye.

同義詞
  • shiner

    informal; common in boxing and playground speech

  • bruise

    general term for any area of discoloured skin from injury, not limited to the eye

用法筆記

Distinguish from dark circles under the eyes: a black eye comes from an injury and shows as dark, swollen skin; dark circles come from tiredness or genetics and are not swollen.

常見錯誤

❌I didn't sleep well so I have a black eye.
✅I didn't sleep well so I have dark circles under my eyes.
💡a black eye is caused by being hit; dark circles are from lack of sleep or tiredness.

2. harm done to a person's or organisation's good name, often from a public mistake

2.名詞C1
釋義

harm done to a person's or organisation's good name, often from a public mistake or scandal

例句

The mayor's corruption trial gave the whole city a black eye in the national press.

collocation: give [someone/something] a black eye

Noa worried that the failed product launch would leave a black eye on her record.

同義詞
  • stain

    similar figurative meaning but can refer to any lasting mark on reputation, not necessarily from a single event

  • blot

    slightly more formal; often used in 'a blot on one's record'

  • scandal

    refers to the event itself that causes the damage, rather than the damage

反義詞
  • boost

    something that improves reputation

用法筆記

Commonly used with verbs like 'give', 'suffer', and 'leave'. The subject is usually an event or action, not a person.

3. a loss or failure that hurts someone's pride or standing, especially when it hap

3.名詞C1
釋義

a loss or failure that hurts someone's pride or standing, especially when it happens in public

例句

Losing the final at home gave the defending champions a black eye.

collocation: give [someone] a black eye

The senator's bill failed to pass, handing his party a black eye before the election.

collocation: hand [someone] a black eye

同義詞
  • setback

    more neutral; does not carry the sense of public embarrassment

  • defeat

    focuses on the loss itself without the reputational damage

  • blow

    emphasises the sudden, painful impact of the failure

反義詞

用法筆記

Common in sports, politics, and business reporting. Typically describes a public, embarrassing defeat rather than a quiet failure.