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Word of the Day: Black eye
Once again, I’m starting my publication week with a simple word.
As is typical for English, though, simple words are often not so simple at all.
The term black eye can have various meanings, depending on the situation we use it in.
People can have various eye colours, such as blue, hazel (mine), brown or black.
OK, so that is one meaning.
Meaning number two occurs after someone suffers damage to the area around their eyes.
If someone is hit during a boxing match, for example, they may have a black eye because the area around their eye is bruised.
The area will turn black because of the bruising.
Then after a while, return to normal again once the bruising heals.
Finally, the third usage of black eye is a different sort of damage.
Black eye can also be used when someone’s reputation is damaged.
For example, if a politician is caught stepping out on their spouse, it will be a black eye for their reputation.
Even though there is nothing technically illegal about having an affair, it will show that they can’t be fully trusted.
This will leave a blemish on their reputation.
The same is true for more severe offences such as taking bribes, stealing or committing violence against another person.
Yes, they are all against the law, but they will also be a black eye on a person’s reputation.
Whenever we do something wrong or make a serious mistake, it may result in our reputation or character receiving a black eye.
Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test
This post is understandable by someone with at least an 8th-grade education (age 13 – 14).
On the Flesch-Kincaid reading-ease test, this post scores 68.
The higher the score on a scale of 0 – 100, the easier the passage is to read.