idioms using “black”

In the black

Making a profit, profitable

“Though we lost money for the first three years, we are finally in the black..“

Blacklist (verb)

To place a person’s name on a list of people who are disapproved of

“Tamaguchi-san will never get the part in the play; the director blacklisted him years ago because he was difficult to work with.“

Black and blue

Bruised

“Our competitor has beaten us black and blue with their heavy discounting but we are still the number one skiwear maker in Asia.“

Black market

Illegal, untaxed sale of goods

“Mariko-san’s investigation revealed that the surplus handbags were being sold on the black market.“

Black and white

Clear, obvious

“The issue is black and white; our company policy states that employees who drive a company vehicle for personal use will be fired. There can be no exceptions.“