▪ I. † blenk, v. Obs.
Forms: 4 blenken, 4–7 blenk. pa. tense 4 bleynte, blenkede, blenkyt, -it, blenknyt, 4–6 blenked. pa. pple. 5 blent.
[Partly the northern equivalent of blench v., partly the earlier equivalent of modern blink, presenting the etymological difficulties of both words.]
I. = blench.
1. trans. To blind, deceive, cheat; = blench 1.
| a 1000 Blenceð [see blench 1]. c 1400 Destr. Troy 2483 Let no blyndnes you blenke. |
2. intr. To start aside, so as to elude anything; to flinch, swerve; = blench v.1 2.
| c 1300 Cursor M. 7668 [Saul] þan hent a sper scarp to stair him þoru vnto þe wau, bot dauid sagh and blenked lau [v.r. blenkid, blenched bis]. 1330 R. Brunne Chron. 115 For þise ne salle ȝe blenk, bot hold vp þer honoure. a 1330 Otuel 460 He wolde haue smiten otuwel, & he blenkte swiþe wel, And roulond smot þe stede broun. |
3. trans. To turn aside, raise (the eyes, eyebrows); = blench v.1 4.
| c 1400 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.
| ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 2858 We salle blenke theire boste, for alle theire bold profire. |
5. trans. To make pale, to blanch. Cf. blench v.2
| c 1400 Melayne 1359 A newe tydynge That blenkede all his blee. a 1600 Felon Sowe Rokeby, The Sewe..rudely rushèd at the freer That blynkèd all his blee. |
II. = the later blink.
6. intr. To shine, glitter, gleam.
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 428 A nyȝt whan þou slepys..Before þy yȝen hyt blenkys. c 1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 799 Vp on bastel-rouez, þat blenked ful quyte. 1375 Barbour Bruce viii. 217 The sone..That blenknyt on the scheldis braid. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. I. 349 Bemes bricht blenkand on euerilk bench. 1605 in Foxe's A. & M. (1684) III. 942 The Sun blenks often hottest to foretel a following showr. |
7. To glance, cast a glance, give a look; to look up (from sleep); = blink 3, 4 a.
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 3111 Þei lokede a boute & bleynte bi hinde þe busch & seiȝen. 1375 Barbour Bruce vi. 633 The King..blenkit hym by And saw the twa-some. Ibid. vii. 203 The kyng blenkit vp hastely, And saw his man slepand him by. c 1450 Henryson Mor. Fab. 83 The Wolfe was ware, and blenked him behind. 1501 Douglas Pal. Hon. i. 326 Backwert he blent to give them knawledging. a 1625 Jas. I. in D'Israeli Cur. Lit. (1866) 174/1 Scarslie, but at stolen moments, having the leisure to blenk upon any paper. |
▪ II. blenk, n.1
north. f. blench, trick, stratagem.
▪ III. † blenk, n.2 north. Obs.
[f. blenk v.; now, like the vb., represented by blink.]
1. A sudden gleam of light.
| c 1340 Cursor M. 19648 (Fairf.) Noȝt a blenke muȝt he se. 1513 Douglas æneis vii. ix. 113 The bricht mettell..Quharon the son blenkis betis clere. |
2. A glance of the eye; usually, a bright, cheerful glance.
| c 1440 York Myst. xxviii. 259, I will no more be abasshed for blenke of thy blee. c 1450 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 Stewart Cron. Scot. I. 31 The ȝoung virgeins with blenkis amorus. |