blench1

[blench] /blɛntʃ/
verb (used without object)
1.
to shrink; flinch; quail:
an unsteady eye that blenched under another's gaze.
Origin
before 1000; Middle English blenchen, Old English blencan; cognate with Old Norse blekkja, Middle High German blenken
Related forms
blencher, noun
blenchingly, adverb
Synonyms
See wince1 .

blench2

[blench] /blɛntʃ/
verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
1.
to make or become pale or white; blanch.
Origin
1805-15; variant of blanch1
Examples from the web for blench
  • blench will also promote breakdown of heavier notebook and copy papers.
British Dictionary definitions for blench

blench1

/blɛntʃ/
verb
1.
(intransitive) to shy away, as in fear; quail
Word Origin
Old English blencan to deceive

blench2

/blɛntʃ/
verb
1.
to make or become pale or white
Word Origin
C19: variant of blanch
Word Origin and History for blench
v.

Old English blencan "deceive, cheat," from Proto-Germanic *blenk- "to shine, dazzle, blind," from PIE root *bhel- (1) "to shine, flash, burn" (see bleach (v.)). Sense of "move suddenly, wince, dodge" is from c.1300. Related: Blenched; blenching.