† ˈblesche, v. Obs.
Also 3 blessen, blissen.
[ME. bleschen, blessen, identical with MDu. blesschen (mod.Du., and LG. blusschen) to extinguish or quench, taken to represent an OTeut. *bilaskjan, f. bi-, be- + laskjan, OHG. leskên to quench, extinguish (MHG., MLG. and late MDu. lesschen, mod.G. löschen), causal of OHG. leskan (MHG. leschen, mod.Ger. also löschen) to ‘go out’ as fire. How it came into ME. does not appear.]
trans. To quench, extinguish; fig. to put a stop to, blot out.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 553 So cam on werlde wreche and wrake for to blissen swilc sinnes same. Ibid. 3653 Fier is on hem bisiden liȝt..Moyses it blessede wið his bede. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 39/2 Bleschyn, or qwenchyn [1499 blesshyn], extinguo. |
Hence blesching vbl. n.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv., Bleschynge, or qwenchynge of fyre. |