v. Obs. Also 3 blessen, blissen. [ME. bleschen, blessen, identical with MDu. blesschen (mod.Du., and LG. blusschen) to extinguish or quench, taken to represent an OTeut. *bilaskjan, f. bi-, BE- + laskjan, OHG. leskên to quench, extinguish (MHG., MLG. and late MDu. lesschen, mod.G. löschen), causal of OHG. leskan (MHG. leschen, mod.Ger. also löschen) to ‘go out’ as fire. How it came into ME. does not appear.] trans. To quench, extinguish; fig. to put a stop to, blot out.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 553. So cam on werlde wreche and wrake for to blissen swilc sinnes same. Ibid., 3653. Fier is on hem bisiden liȝt … Moyses it blessede wið his bede.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 39/2. Bleschyn, or qwenchyn [1499 blesshyn], extinguo.
Hence Blesching vbl. sb.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., Bleschynge, or qwenchynge of fyre.
