Obs. [The normal ME. repr. of OE. blác:—OTeut. *blaiko-z, f. the stem of blîkan, blaik to shine. But the OE. blæc, BLACK had also a long-vowel form blāc-, which would also give ME. bloke; and in the few known instances it is difficult to say which is the sense. Cf. BLAKE.]
Pale; also (by confusion of forms) black, dark.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 171. Þe unbileffule men bicumeð in þe fure swo bloke and swo eiseliche and swo ateliche, þat bi hundredfealde [ben] grisluker þan ani niht þeoster.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 332. Te soule þet was bloc, & nefde bute dead heou, haueð ikeiht cwic heou, & is iruded feire.
c. 1430. Pol. Rel. & L. Poems, 206. Nowe ligiȝt he ded boþe blok & blo.
