black art

plural black arts

1. in pluraloftenA practice such as witchcraft, sorcery, necromancy, or black magic.

   dabbling in the black arts

   3 more examples

   In 1690s Salem, anyone was at mortal risk of being accused of practicing the black arts.

   For even the enchantresses Circe and Medea could not, by their black arts, prevent the unfaithfulness of Odysseus and Jason.

   1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 175

   As a parish priest in England he had dabbled in the black arts, seduced a number of his congregation from their faith and finally celebrated the Black Mass.

   1965, Attila Zohar, Kings Cross Black Magic, Sydney: Horwitz Publications, page 30

   Synonyms: black magic, dark art, diablerie, bewitchery, black arts, charmwork, conjuration, conjuring

2. broadlyfigurativelyA process that is esoteric or difficult to master.

   Operating a hand card punch was something of a black art.

   1 more example

   Traincrew management has always been a bit of a black art, rather than a science. The present traincrew difficulties that beset the UK rail industry are neither new nor were they unforeseeable.

   2022 November 16, Graham Eccles, “The Rest Day Working saga...”, in RAIL, number 970, page 32

   Synonyms: dark art