Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1896
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BLACK-BALL, v. To abuse, scold. An extension of the St.Eng. meaning "to reject a candidate in club ballot."Ayr. 1896 H. Johnston Doctor Congalton's Legacy vii.:
She then commenced to black-ball Miss Hetty for her want o' sense.
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"Black-ball v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/blackball>


