blacken

Etymology

From Middle English blaknen, blakkenen, equivalent to black +‎ -en (verbal suffix).

Pronunciation

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• Rhymes: -ækən

Verb

blacken (third-person singular simple present blackens, present participle blackening, simple past and past participle blackened)

1. (ergative) (To cause) to be or become black.
2. To make dirty.
3. To defame or sully.

   Malice delights to blacken the characters of prominent men. — Napoleon Bonaparte

4. To cook (meat or fish) by coating with pepper, etc., and quickly searing in a hot pan.
5. (intransitive) To become black.

   The sky blackened as the storm clouds rolled in.