black lead

See also: blacklead

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

In the sense of lead, calque of Latin plumbum nigrum (“lead”, literally “black lead”).

Noun

black lead (countable and uncountable, plural black leads)

  1. (now historical) The metal lead. [from 14th c.]
    Antonym: white lead
  2. Graphite, especially as used in pencils. [from 16th c.]
  3. (countable) A graphite pencil.
  4. (now historical) A type of polish made from graphite, used for kitchen cleaning and blackening grates. [from 19th c.]
    • 1828, JT Smith, Nollekens and His Times, Century Hutchinson, published 1986, page 271:
      She always washed without soap: there were no hearth-stones nor black-lead dust for the stoves; nor a cake of whitening for the kitchen-grate […] .

Translations
graphite — see graphite
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