black art
[Probably ‘black’ refers primarily to the dark and secret nature of the magician's art, or to the popular belief in the association of the magician with the devil; but the name is also associated with the med.L. nigromantīa, corruption of necromantīa (= Gr. νεκροµαντεία, f. νεκρός dead body), as if this contained L. niger, nigro- black.]
1. The art of performing supernatural acts by intercourse with the spirits of the dead or with the devil himself; magic, necromancy.
| c 1590 Marlowe Faust. ix. 53, I have heard strange report of thy knowledge in the black art. 1611 Cotgr., Nigromance, nigromancie, coniuring, the blacke Art. 1674 R. Godfrey Inj. & Ab. Physic 178 He useth Astrology, (which the Vulgar call the Black Art). 1775 Sheridan Rivals i. ii, I'd as soon have them taught the black art as their alphabet! 1831 Brewster Nat. Magic iv. (1833) 69 A native of Pistoia, who cultivated the black art. |
† 2. Thieves' slang. Lock-picking, burglary. Obs.
| 1591 Greene Conny-Catch. ii. Wks. 1883 X. 72, I can set downe the subtiltie of the blacke Art, which is picking of lockes. 1608 Dekker Belman Lond. Wks. 1884–5 III. 137 This Blacke Art..is called in English Picking of Lockes. |
Hence, † black-ˈartist, Obs., a necromancer. † black-ˈartship, Obs. nonce-wd.
| 1620 Sylvester Lit. Bartas (1877–80) 408 (D.) Those Black-Artists that consult with Hell. 1697 Mountfort Faustus i. ad fin., I came only to ask your Black Artship a Question. 1825 Carlyle Schiller ii. (1845) 66 Spectres..the terror-struck black-artist cannot lay them. |