Also 6 blemysh, bleamish(e. [f. the vb.]
1. Physical defect or disfigurement; a stain. (Used spec. of the mark of injury to a horse, as the scar of a broken knee.)
1535. Coverdale, Tob. xi. 13. Then beganne the blemysh to go out of his eyes, like as it had bene the whyte szkynne of an egg. Ibid., Lev. ix. 3. A calf and a shepe, both … without blemysh [Wyclif, wemme, wem; 1611 blemish].
1579. Langham, Gard. Health (1633), 97. Face spots, or blemishes, anoint with the iuice of the roots.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., II. iii. 34. Speaking thicke (which Nature made his blemish).
1718. Freethinker, No. 37. 270. One never sees the least Blemish of ink upon his Nails.
1827. Hare, Guesses, Ser. II. (1873), 500. Nothing hides a blemish so completely as cloth of gold.
2. transf. A defect, imperfection, flaw, in any object, matter, condition or work.
1555. Fardle Facions, I. i. 23. A moste blessed life without bleamishe of wo.
1611. Bible, Pref., 8. Some imperfections and blemishes may be noted in the setting foorth of it.
1771. Junius Lett., xlv. 244. The minor critic … hunts for blemishes.
1863. H. Rogers, J. Howe (ed. 2), Pref. 5. The work has now received a careful revision, and it is hoped that … such blemishes are removed.
1869. J. Martineau, Ess., II. 222. The divine light is without blemish.
3. fig. A moral defect or stain; a flaw, fault, blot, slur.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 64. A blemysshe, which semeth to disteyne all his vertues.
1580. Baret, Alv., B 796. A bleamishe in ones good name.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, II. i. 27. No blemish vnto any Gentleman to serue as a common souldier in the Captaines squadron.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., I. ii. 341. Ile giue no blemish to her Honor, none.
1656. Bramhall, Replic., i. 51. Some abuses are … rather blemishes than sinnes.
1859. Tennyson, Vivien, 681. If they find Some stain or blemish in a name of note.
† 4. Venery. (See quot.) Obs.
1575. Turberv., Venerie, 94. The same huntsman shall go backe to his blemishes immediately. Ibid., 114. Blemishes … are the markes which are left to knowe where a deare hath gone in or out.
1627. J. Taylor (Water P.), Wks. (1630), I. 93/1. Blemishes, Sewelling, Auant-laye, Allaye, Relaye … and a thousand more such Vtopian fragments of confused Gibberish.
1656. in Blount, Glossogr.
1721–90. in Bailey.
