Obs. Forms: 4 blenken, 4–7 blenk. Pa. t. 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.
a. 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].
c. 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 blynked 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.
