blench – [ blench ] – Verb (used without object)
- to shrink; flinch; quail: an unsteady eye that blenched under another’s gaze.
WORDS RELATED TO BLENCH
tremble, wince, quaver, shudder, recoil, shake, quail, cringe, shrink
ORIGIN OF BLENCH
before 1000; Middle English blenchen, Old English blencan; cognate with Old Norse blekkja, Middle High German blenken
OTHER WORDS FROM BLENCH
- blench·er, noun
- blench·ing·ly, adverb
ORIGIN OF BLENCH
First recorded in 1805–15; variant of blanch
EXAMPLES FROM THE WEB FOR BLENCH
- But though it fell, the people of the dauntless city did not blench.
- Perhaps the girl had been expecting it, for she did not blench, though Eubank’s eyes were on her face.
- His cheek did not blench, his lips quiver, nor his limbs tremble.
- If that ye stammer or blench, or anyways boggle at the swearing, he will not believe you; and by the mass, he shall die.
- The tone was sharp and defiant, the smile scornful and satirical, but she did blench—no doubt of it.