black book
noun
Forms black books
- noun Synonym of little black book.
- noun A book compiled in the 12th century, containing a description of the court of exchequer of England, an official statement of the revenues of the crown, etc.
- noun A book containing details of the enormities practiced in the English monasteries and religious houses, compiled by order of their visitors under Henry VIII, to hasten their dissolution.
- noun A book of admiralty law, of the highest authority, compiled in the reign of Edward III.
- noun A book kept for the purpose of registering the names of persons liable to censure or punishment, as in the English universities, or the English armies.
- noun A 19th century book detailing the corruption and financial abuses of the British government.
- noun A book kept in the football with the United States President describing nuclear retaliation options.
- noun (by extension) A book critiquing or denouncing something. “the Black Book of Communism”
- noun (occult) Any book dealing with necromancy.
Synonyms
Etymology
Either from the colour of the binding, or from the character of the contents.
Webster’s 1913
- One of several books of a political character, published at different times and for different purposes; --so called either from the color of the binding, or from the character of the contents.
- A book compiled in the twelfth century, containing a description of the court of exchequer of England, an official statement of the revenues of the crown, etc.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “black book”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details