black-snake
1. A name given to several dark-coloured snakes; as in U.S. to the Coluber constrictor and C. Alleghaniensis; in Jamaica to the Natrix atra.
| 1688 J. Clayton Virginia in Phil. Trans. XVIII. 135 The Black Snake, is the largest I think. 1802 Bingley Anim. Biog. (1813) II. 462 The black snake..able to fascinate birds. 1883 Harper's Mag. Oct. 708/1 None of my venomous acquaintances..black-snake, whip-snake, coral-snake, or viper. |
2. U.S. A long whip-lash. Also attrib.
| 1864 J. Fisk Exped. Rocky Mts. 5 A ‘black snake’..brought him on his legs. 1883 Harper's Mag. Mar. 495/1 The..drivers trudged beside them..cracking huge ‘black-snakes’ at the animals. 1901 S. E. White Westerners xxxiv. 310 He snapped the lash of his black-snake whip. |
Hence ˈblacksnake v. trans., to flog with a black-snake whip.
| 1870 ‘Mark Twain’ in Galaxy Dec. 878/2, I lay I'll black⁓snake you within an inch of your life! |