blench

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

blench, v. i. [OE. blenchen to blench, elude, deceive, AS. blencan to deceive; akin to Icel. blekkja to impose upon. Prop. a causative of blink to make to wink, to deceive. See Blink, and cf. 3d Blanch.].

•  To shrink; to start back; to draw back, from lack of courage or resolution; to flinch; to quail.  [1913 Webster]

  "Blench not at thy chosen lot."  [1913 Webster]

  "This painful, heroic task he undertook, and never blenched from its fulfillment."  [1913 Webster]
•  To fly off; to turn aside.  [1913 Webster]

  "Though sometimes you do blench from this to that."  [1913 Webster]

blench, v. t. 

•  To baffle; to disconcert; to turn away; -- also, to obstruct; to hinder.  [1913 Webster]

  "Ye should have somewhat blenched him therewith, yet he might and would of likelihood have gone further."  [1913 Webster]
•  To draw back from; to deny from fear.  [1913 Webster]

  "He now blenched what before he affirmed."  [1913 Webster]

blench, n. 

 A looking aside or askance.  [1913 Webster]
"These blenches gave my heart another youth."  [1913 Webster]

blench, v. i. & t. [See 1st Blanch.].

 To grow or make pale.  Barbour.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

blench, v.intr. flinch; quail.

Etymology

ME f. OE blencan, ult. f. Gmc

THESAURUS

blench

ache, agonize, ail, anguish, avoid, blanch, bleach, blink, boggle, cringe, decolor, decolorize, demur, dodge, draw back, duck, evade, fade, fall back, falter, feel pain, feel the pangs, fight shy of, flinch, funk, grimace, hang back, hang off, have a misery, have qualms, hesitate, hold off, hurt, jib, make bones about, pause, pound, pull back, quail, recoil, reel back, retreat, scruple, sheer off, shoot, shrink, shrink back, shy, shy at, sidestep, smart, squinch, start, start aside, start back, stick at, stickle, strain, suffer, swerve, thrill, throb, tingle, turn aside, twinge, twitch, waver, weasel, weasel out, white, wince, writhe

ROGET THESAURUS

blench

Avoidance

VB abstain, refrain, spare, not attempt, not do, maintain the even tenor of one's way, eschew, keep from, let alone, have nothing to do with, keep aloof keep off, stand aloof, stand off, hold aloof, hold off, take no part in, have no hand in, avoid, shun, steer clear of, keep clear of, fight shy of, keep one's distance, keep at a respectful distance, keep out of the way, get out of the way, evade, elude, turn away from, set one's face against, deny oneself, shrink back, hang back, hold back, draw back, recoil, retire, flinch, blink, blench, shy, shirk, dodge, parry, make way for, give place to, beat a retreat, turn tail, turn one's back, take to one's heels, runaway, run for one's life, cut and run, be off like a shot, fly, flee, fly away, flee away, run away from, take flight, take to flight, desert, elope, make off, scamper off, sneak off, shuffle off, sheer off, break away, tear oneself away, slip away, slink away, steel away, make away from, scamper away from, sneak away from, shuffle away from, sheer away from, slip cable, part company, turn one's heel, sneak out of, play truant, give one the go by, give leg bail, take French leave, slope, decamp, flit, bolt, abscond, levant, skedaddle, absquatulat, cut one's stick, walk one's chalks, show a light pair of heels, make oneself scarce, escape, go away, abandon, reject, lead one a dance, lead one a pretty dance, throw off the scent, play at hide and seek, Adj, unsought, unattempted, avoiding, neutral, shy of, elusive, evasive, fugitive, runaway, shy, wild.

Fear

VB fear, stand in awe of, be afraid, have qualms, apprehend, sit upon thorns, eye askance, distrust, hesitate, falter, funk, cower, crouch, skulk, let 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would' take fright, take alarm, start, wince, flinch, shy, shrink, fly, tremble, shake, shiver, shiver in one's shoes, shudder, flutter, shake like an aspen leaf, tremble like an aspen leaf, tremble all over, quake, quaver, quiver, quail, grow pale, turn pale, blench, stand aghast, not dare to say one's soul is one's own, inspire fear, excite fear, inspire awe, excite awe, raise apprehensions, be in a daze, bulldoze, faze, feeze, give an alarm, raise an alarm, sound an alarm, alarm, startle, scare, cry 'wolf', disquiet, dismay, fright, frighten, terrify, astound, fright from one's propriety, fright out of one's senses, fright out of one's wits, fright out of one's seven senses, awe, strike all of a heap, strike an awe into, strike terror, harrow up the soul, appall, unman, petrify, horrify, pile on the agony, make one's flesh creep, make one's hair stand on end, make one's blood run cold, make one's teeth chatter, take away one's breath, stop one's breath, make one tremble, haunt, prey on the mind, weigh on the mind, put in fear, put in bodily fear, terrorize, intimidate, cow, daunt, overawe, abash, deter, discourage, browbeat, bully, threaten.