Bleakness

Bleakness
Bleak Bleak (bl[=e]k), a. [OE. blac, bleyke, bleche, AS. bl[=a]c, bl[=ae]c, pale, wan; akin to Icel. bleikr, Sw. blek, Dan. bleg, OS. bl[=e]k, D. bleek, OHG. pleih, G. bleich; all from the root of AS. bl[=i]can to shine; akin to OHG. bl[=i]chen to shine; cf. L. flagrare to burn, Gr. fle`gein to burn, shine, Skr. bhr[=a]j to shine, and E. flame. [root]98. Cf. {Bleach}, {Blink}, {Flame}.] 1. Without color; pale; pallid. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

When she came out she looked as pale and as bleak as one that were laid out dead. --Foxe. [1913 Webster]

2. Desolate and exposed; swept by cold winds. [1913 Webster]

Wastes too bleak to rear The common growth of earth, the foodful ear. --Wordsworth. [1913 Webster]

At daybreak, on the bleak sea beach. --Longfellow. [1913 Webster]

3. Cold and cutting; cheerless; as, a bleak blast. [1913 Webster] -- {Bleak"ish}, a. -- {Bleak"ly}, adv. -- {Bleak"ness}, n. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • bleakness — c.1600, from BLEAK (Cf. bleak) + NESS (Cf. ness) …   Etymology dictionary

  • bleakness — bleak ► ADJECTIVE 1) bare and exposed to the elements. 2) charmless and inhospitable. 3) (of a situation) not hopeful or encouraging. DERIVATIVES bleakly adverb bleakness noun. ORIGIN Old English or Old Norse, «white, shining» …   English terms dictionary

  • bleakness — noun see bleak …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • bleakness — See bleakly. * * * …   Universalium

  • bleakness — noun The characteristic of being bleak …   Wiktionary

  • bleakness — n. gloom, dreariness; desolation …   English contemporary dictionary

  • bleakness — bleak·ness …   English syllables

  • bleakness — See: bleak …   English dictionary

  • bleakness — noun a bleak and desolate atmosphere the nakedness of the landscape • Syn: ↑desolation, ↑bareness, ↑nakedness • Derivationally related forms: ↑desolate (for: ↑desolation), ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

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