[A variant of BLENCH, which see for the derivation and history.]
† 1. trans. To deceive, cheat, bilk. Cf. BLENCH v. 1. To blanch of: to cheat or do out of. Obs.
1592. Warner, Alb. Eng., VII. xxxix. 193. But so obscurely hath beene blancht of good workes elsewheare done. Ibid. (1602), XII. lxxi. (1612), 296. Dallying Girles … that intertaine … All Louers … And hauing blaunched many so, in single life take pride.
† 2. To shut the eyes to, leave unnoticed, shirk, ‘blink’ (a fact); to pass without notice, miss, omit. Obs. (Cf. BLANCH v.1 5.)
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. 69. In Annotacions … it is ouer vsual to blaunch the obscure places, and discoarse vpon the playne.
1618. Raleigh, Prerog. Parl. (1628), 52. You blanch my question, and answere mee by examples.
1638. Sir H. Wotton, in Four C. Eng. Lett., 53. I suppose you will not blanch Paris in your way.
1671. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), III. 240. Whether I am to blanch this particular?
3. intr. To shrink, start back, give way. arch. (Later users apparently mix it up with BLANCH v.1 6, in sense of ‘turn pale, change color for fear.’)
1572. in Neal, Hist. Purit. (1732), I. 285. ’Tis no time to blanch.
1632. Massinger & Field, Fatal Dowry, II. i. What! Weep ye, soldiers? Blanch not!
1640–1. Ld. Digby, Parl. Sp., 9 Feb., 13. A man of a sturdy conscience, that would not blanch for a little.
1870. Edgar, Runnymede, 126. The saints forbid that I should ever blanch at the thought of battle.
4. trans. To turn (anything) off, aside, or away; in Venery, to ‘head back’ the deer in his flight.
1592. Lyly, Galathea, II. i. 231. Saw you not the deare come this way … I beleeve you have blancht him.
1627. E. F., Hist. Edw. II. (1680), 117. He would not blaunch the Deer, the Toyl so near.
1741. Compl. Fam.-Piece, II. i. 310. When he [the deer] swarves, or is blanched by any Accident.
1793. Smeaton, Edystone L., § 323. The lantern was secured by … the Cornice; which, when the sea rose to the top of the house, blanched it off like a sheet.
1875. ‘Stonehenge,’ Brit. Sports, I. X. § 1.
