▪ I. † bland, n.1 Obs.
[a. ON. bland, in phr. {iacu} blana in union, together, whence ME. in bland: cf. OE. bland mixture, f. stem of bland v.1]
In phr. in bland: in mixture, in union, a. adv. together; b. prep. among.
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B. 885 Þay blwe a buffet in blande þat banned people. c 1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1205 Boþe quit and red in-blande. a 1400 Alexander (Stev.) 2786 In batail..in-bland with þe Grekis. |
▪ II. bland, n.2
(blænd)
[a. ON. blanda (fem.) a mixture of fluids, spec. ‘a beverage of hot whey mixed with water,’ Vigfusson: cf. OE. bland (neut.) ‘mixture.’]
The name in Orkney and Shetland of a beverage made of buttermilk and water.
| 1703 M. Martin Descr. W. Isles (1716) 374 Their drinking of bland [in Shetland]. 1732 De Foe, etc. Tour Gt. Brit. (1769) IV. 337. 1822 Scott Pirate vi. (D.) She filled a small wooden quaigh from an earthen pitcher which contained bland, a subacid liquor made out of the serous part of the milk. 1837 R. Dunn Ornith. Ork. & Shet. 13. |
▪ III. bland, a.
(blænd)
[ad. L. bland-us soft, smooth, caressing.]
1. Of persons, their actions, etc.: Smooth and suave in manner; mildly soothing or coaxing: gentle.
| 1661 Pepys Diary 12 Sept., With some bland counsel of his. 1667 Milton P.L. ix. 855 With bland words at will. 1774 Goldsm. Retal. 140 His manners were gentle, complying, & bland. 1801 Southey Garci Ferrand. ii. iii, Winning eye and action bland. 1828 Carlyle Misc. (1857) I. 93 Bland satire on his friends. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. 439 A bland temper and winning manners. 1878 Black Green Past. xv. 120 A bland and benevolent face. |
2. Of things: Soft, mild, pleasing to the senses; gentle, genial, balmy, soothing.
| 1667 Milton P.L. v. 5 Temperat vapours bland. 1820 Keats St. Agnes xi, The sound of merriment and chorus bland. 1872 C. King Sierra Nev. vi. 122 The air was bland, the heavens cloudless. |
b. Of medicines: Mild, unirritating. Of food: Not stimulating. (Cf. quot. 1667 in 2).
| 1836 Todd Cycl. Anat. & Phys. I. 671/2 A very small force only is requisite to cause bland fluids to follow the course of blood. 1876 Duhring Dis. Skin 92 Bland oils are serviceable in softening scales and crusts. 1878 Holbrook Hyg. Brain 111 The food should be bland. |
¶ quasi-advb. (in poetry).
| 1596 Spenser Hymn to Beauty 171 That base affection, which your eares would bland Commend to you by Loves abused name. 1850 Mrs. Browning Poet's Vow ii, They clasping bland his gift. |
▪ IV. † bland, v.1 Obs.
Also blonden.
[Common Teut. str. vb.: OE. blandan, blǫndan, pa. tense bléond, pple. blanden = OS. blandan, OHG. blantan, ON. (and Sw.) blanda, Goth. blandan, baibland, blandans, to mix. Only once exemplified in OE., and in ME. superseded by blend v.2 The two later instances here may be accidental; if genuine, they perh. represent the ON. rather than the OE. vb.]
trans. To mix, intermingle, blend.
| a 1000 Riddles (Gr.) xli. 59 Swétra, þonne þu beobread blénde mid huniᵹe. c 1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1931 Blande[n] al of blaunner were boþe al aboute. c 1420 Liber Cocorum 24 Blonde hit with mylke and put alle in panne. 1513 Douglas æneis iii. ix. 83 Blude blandit with wyne. |
▪ V. † bland, v.2 Obs.
Also blaund, blond.
[a. OF. bland-ir:—L. blandīri to soothe, flatter: see blandish.]
trans. To soothe, flatter; a by-form of blandish.
| c 1315 Shoreham 73 Ac blondeth. c 1505 Dunbar ‘Schir, ȝit remembir’ 77 Nor ȝit with benifice am I blandit. |
▪ VI. bland
var. of blende pa. pple. and ppl. a.