blake

IPA/blˈeɪk/
KK[blˈek]IPA/blˈeɪk/

blake — noun

1. the surname of an American Protestant minister who led the National Council of C

1.noun
Definition

the surname of an American Protestant minister who led the National Council of Churches and was an active supporter of the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s.

Example

Eugene Carson Blake helped organize the March on Washington in 1963.

proper noun reference to a historical figure

Eugene Carson Blake led the National Council of Churches during America's civil rights era.

Usage Note

This sense refers specifically to Eugene Carson Blake (1906–1985), not to any other person with the surname Blake.

2. the surname of an English poet, painter, and printmaker, famous for visionary wo

2.nounB1
Definition

the surname of an English poet, painter, and printmaker, famous for visionary works like Songs of Innocence and of Experience — a masterpiece of Romantic art and literature.

Example

William Blake's poem 'The Tyger' is one of the most famous poems in English.

proper noun reference to a canonical literary figure

Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell pairs poems with engraved illustrations on each page.

Usage Note

This sense refers specifically to William Blake (1757–1827). His full name is often used in academic writing — simply 'Blake' is common in literary discussion.

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Blake is an English surname that comes from Old English 'blæc', meaning 'black' or 'dark'. It was originally used as a nickname for a person with dark hair, dark skin, or a dark complexion. The name has been used as a family name since the Middle Ages and became well known through the fame of the poet and artist William Blake.