WordWeb Online

1. Make or become black
   "The smoke blackened the ceiling"; "The ceiling blackened";
   - melanize, melanise [Brit], black, nigrify [archaic]
    
2. (cooking) burn slightly and superficially so as to affect colour
   "The cook blackened the chicken breast";
   - char, sear, scorch

Derived forms: blackened, blackens, blackening

Type of: burn, color [US], colour [Brit, Cdn], discolor [US], discolour [Brit, Cdn]

Encyclopedia: Blacken