† blenkn.
northern. Obsolete.
1. A sudden gleam of light.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > light > light emitted in particular manner > [noun] > gleam, glimmer, or flicker
blenka1400
blushc1400
gleamc1440
glance?a1513
glinta1542
glish1570
glimpse1603
glimmera1616
glimble1658
blink1717
glent1728
shimmer1821
glisk1824
flicker1849
glist1864
styme1888
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) l. 19648 Noȝt a blenke muȝt he se.
a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid (1959) vii. viii. 114 The brycht mettale,..Quharon the sonnys blenkis [a1584 Ruthven son blenkis] betis cleir.
2. A glance of the eye; usually, a bright, cheerful glance.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > a look or glance > [noun]
eie wurpc950
laitc1175
looka1200
lecha1250
sightc1275
insighta1375
blushc1390
castc1400
glentc1400
blenkc1440
regardc1450
ray1531
view1546
beam of sight1579
eye-beam1583
eyewink1591
blink1594
aspecta1616
benda1616
eyeshot1615
eye-casta1669
twire1676
ken1736
Magdalene-look1752
glimmering1759
deek1833
wink1847
deck1853
vision1855
pipe1865
skeg1876
dekko1894
screw1904
slant1911
gander1914
squiz1916
butcher's hook1934
butcher's1936
gawk1940
bo-peep1941
nose1976
c1440 York Myst. xxviii. 259 I will no more be abasshed for blenke of thy blee.
c1450 Wisd. Sol. in Ratis Rav. 21 Na wys men suld behald the bewte of women that thai be nocht tan with thar suet blenkis.
1535 W. Stewart tr. H. Boethius Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) I. 31 The ȝoung virgeins with blenkis amorus.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1887; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
† blenkv.
Obsolete.
I. = blench v.1
1. transitive. To blind, deceive, cheat; = blench v.1 1.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > deceive [verb (transitive)]
aschrenchc885
blendc888
swikec950
belirtOE
beswike971
blencha1000
blenka1000
belieOE
becatchc1175
trokec1175
beguile?c1225
biwrench?c1225
guile?c1225
trechec1230
unordainc1300
blink1303
deceivec1320
feintc1330
trechetc1330
misusea1382
blind1382
forgo1382
beglose1393
troil1393
turnc1405
lirt?a1425
abuse?a1439
ludify1447
amuse1480
wilec1480
trump1487
delude?a1505
sile1508
betrumpa1522
blear1530
aveugle1543
mislippen1552
pot1560
disglose1565
oversile1568
blaze1570
blirre1570
bleck1573
overtake1581
fail1590
bafflea1592
blanch1592
geck?a1600
hallucinate1604
hoodwink1610
intrigue1612
guggle1617
nigglea1625
nose-wipe1628
cog1629
cheat1637
flam1637
nurse1639
jilt1660
top1663
chaldese1664
bilk1672
bejuggle1680
nuzzlec1680
snub1694
bite1709
nebus1712
fugle1719
to take in1740
have?1780
quirk1791
rum1812
rattlesnake1818
chicane1835
to suck in1842
mogue1854
blinker1865
to have on1867
mag1869
sleight1876
bumfuzzle1878
swop1890
wool1890
spruce1917
jive1928
shit1934
smokescreen1950
dick1964
a1000 Be monna môde (Gr.) 33 Wrenceð he and blenceð.
c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 2483 Let no blyndnes you blenke.
2. intransitive. To start aside, so as to elude anything; to flinch, swerve; = blench v.1 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > sideways movement or a sideways movement > move sideways [verb (intransitive)] > avoid by moving to the side
blencha1250
blenka1330
blinka1400
jouk1513
jink1786
the world > action or operation > inaction > not doing > abstaining or refraining from action > abstain or refrain from action [verb (intransitive)] > avoid > shrink or recoil
wondec897
blencha1250
shunta1250
scurnc1325
blenka1330
blinka1400
startc1400
shrink1508
blanch1572
swerve1573
shruga1577
flinch1578
recoil1582
budgea1616
shucka1620
smay1632
blunk1655
shudder1668
resile1678
skew1678
reluctate1833
a1330 Otuel 460 He wolde haue smiten otuwel, & he blenkte swiþe wel, And roulond smot þe stede broun.
1330 R. Mannyng Chron. 115 For þise ne salle ȝe blenk, bot hold vp þer honoure.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 7668 Þe king [sc. Saul] þan hent a sper scarp To stair him þoru vnto þe wau; Bot dauid sagh, and blenked [Gött. blenkid; Fairf., Trin. Cambr. blenched] lau.
3. transitive. To turn aside, raise (the eyes, eyebrows); = blench v.1 4.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (transitive)] > look up > turn (eyes) upwards
abraidOE
to-heavec1200
reara1382
upcast1390
blenkc1400
raisea1425
shore1581
upthrow1600
c1400 Melayne 570 He wolde noghte say ‘good mornynge,’ ne ones his browes blenke.
4. To cheat, disappoint, disconcert, bilk; or ? to turn aside or away. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > disappointment > disappoint, frustrate [verb (transitive)] > frustrate, thwart
discomfitc1230
blenk?a1400
mispoint1480
fruster1490
frustrate?a1513
disappoint1545
destitutea1563
foila1564
deceive1571
thwart1581
balka1593
discomfort1596
unwont1629
fail1634
the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > hindering completely or preventing > hinder completely or prevent [verb (transitive)] > thwart or foil
false?c1225
confoundc1315
blenk?a1400
matea1400
interrupt1464
blench1485
fruster?a1513
frustrate?a1513
infatuate1533
disappoint1545
prevent1555
foila1564
blank1566
thwart1581
confute1589
dispurpose1607
shorten1608
foola1616
vain1628
balk1635
throwa1650
scotch1654
bafflea1674
crossbar1680
transverse1770
tomahawk1773
throttle1825
wreck1855
stultify1865
derail1889
to pull the plug1923
rank1924
?a1400 Morte Arth. 2858 We salle blenke theire boste, for alle theire bold profire.
5. transitive. To make pale, to blanch. Cf. blench v.2
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > skin > complexion > paleness > [verb (transitive)] > make pale
appalc1386
blenkc1400
blaiken1570
blancha1616
etiolate1831
blench1845
etiolize1891
c1400 Melayne 1359 A newe tydynge That blenkede all his blee.
?a1600 Felon Sow of Rokeby in W. Scott Rokeby (1813) p. lxxxvii The sew..rudely rushed att the frear, That blinked all his blee.
II. = the later blink v.
6. intransitive. To shine, glitter, gleam.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > light > light emitted in particular manner > [verb (intransitive)] > gleam, glimmer, or flicker
shimmera1100
blenk1303
leamc1330
blysnec1400
glimmerc1400
glimpsec1400
glintc1440
glim1481
lemyrea1500
glimster1565
glance1568
flicker1608
simper1633
gloat1644
gleen1662
shimper1674
blink1786
skimmer1788
flash1791
sheen1812
glinter1851
flimmer1880
1303 R. Mannyng Handlyng Synne 428 A nyȝt whan þou slepys..Before þy yȝen hyt blenkys.
c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 799 Vpon bastel roueȝ þat blenked ful quyte.
1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) viii. 217 The sone..That blenknyt on the scheldis braid.
1535 W. Stewart tr. H. Boethius Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) I. 349 Bemes bricht blenkand on euerilk bench.
1631 Foxe's Actes & Monuments (ed. 7) III. Contin. 86/2 The sun blenkes often hottest to foretell a following showre.
7. To glance, cast a glance, give a look; to look up (from sleep); = blink v. 3, 4a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (intransitive)] > glance or look quickly
glent1303
gliffc1330
gleam1340
blenka1375
keekc1405
glidec1425
gliffen1489
runa1500
glish1570
glance1582
to glance one's eye, look1590
blink1592
squint1610
reflect1611
teet1710
glisk1720
glint1888
a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 3111 Þei lokede a-boute, & bleynte bi-hinde þe busch & seiȝen.
1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) vii. 203 The kyng blenkit vp hastely, And saw his man slepand him by.
1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) vi. 635 The King..blenkit him by And saw ye twa-some.
a1500 R. Henryson tr. Æsop Fables: Wolf & Wether l. 2546 in Poems (1981) 94 The volff wes wer, and blenkit him behind.
?1553 (c1501) G. Douglas Palice of Honour (London) i. l. 326 in Shorter Poems (1967) 28 Bakwert he blent to gyf thaym knawlegyng.
1591 King James VI & I Poet. Exercises To Rdr. sig. 2v Scarslie but at stollen moments, haue I the leasure to blenk vpon any paper.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1887; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.a1400v.a1000