blackout

Universal Words noun 1 a period of darkness caused by an electrical power failure 2 a situation when the government or the police will not allow any news or information on a particular subject to be given to the public: The government imposed a news blackout during the crisis. 3 (especially BrE) a period of time during a war when all lights must be put out or covered at night, so that they cannot be seen by an enemy attacking by air: It used to take hours to travel home in the blackout. 4 [usuallypl.] (BrE) a covering for windows that stops light being seen from outside, or light from outside from coming into a room 5 a temporary loss of consciousness, sight or memory: She had a blackout and couldn't remember anything about the accident.