English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Black hole
Meaning
The idiom "black hole" is used to describe a state of complete darkness or emptiness, often metaphorically. It can also refer to a person who is difficult to communicate with or understand due to their lack of responsiveness or unfriendliness.
Usage
- The room was pitch black, and we could barely see our hands in front of our faces.
- She's always been a bit of a black hole - hard to get close to and impossible to talk to.
- The new employee started off as a black hole, but he soon proved to be an asset to the team.
- After the meeting ended, we were left with a sense of unease, like we had fallen into a black hole.
- He's always been a bit of a loner, but recently he's become even more closed off, like he's in a black hole.
Roots and History
The idiom "black hole" first appeared in the 1970s and is believed to have originated from the scientific concept of a black hole, which is a region of space-time so dense that nothing, not even light, can escape its gravitational pull. In contemporary language, the idiom has taken on a metaphorical meaning to describe someone or something that is difficult to understand or communicate with.
Synonyms in English
- A bottomless pit - someone who is difficult to talk to or understand due to their lack of responsiveness.
- An enigma - someone who is hard to decipher or understand.
- A mystery - something that is difficult to comprehend or solve.
- A black hole of information - a source that provides little valuable information and is often unreliable.
- A pit of despair - a place or situation that is bleak and uninspiring, often metaphorically.
Synonyms in other languages
- La nuit obscure (French) - a dark night, often used metaphorically to describe a difficult time.
- L'enigma de l'examen (French) - an enigma, or mystery, often used to describe a challenging exam or test.
- La pitte de la vie (French) - a bit of life, often used to describe something small and insignificant.
- El hueco negro (Spanish) - the black hole, or someone who is difficult to understand due to their lack of responsiveness or unfriendliness.
- La noche oscura (Spanish) - a dark night, often used metaphorically to describe a difficult time.