Obs. Forms: 1 blácian, 2–3 blakien, 3–4 blaken, 3–5 blake. [ME. blāke(n, was app. the north. repr, of OE. blácian to become pale, f. blác shining, white, pale: see BLAKE a. The normal southern form would have been blokien, bloke(n, of which there are a few 13th c. instances: see BLOKE v. In spelling, this vb. was confounded with blăkien, blăken to grow black or dark (see BLACK v.); and at length became obs., its place being taken by bleyke(n, bleike(n from ON. and by the cognate bleke(n and BLEACH.]
1. intr. To become pale.
c. 1205. Lay., 19799. His neb bigon to blakien [1250 blokie]. Ibid., 7524. He ne blakede no.
a. 1225. St. Marher., 9. Hire bleo bigon to blakien.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 183. Þo Normans … of contenance gan blaken.
c. 1460. Bone Flor., 579. Hur ble beganne to blake.
? 2. trans. To make pale.
(Doubtful: Mätzner’s example belongs to BLACK v. 2.)
Blake, early ME. form of BLACK a. and v.
