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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Bleak \Bleak\ (bl[=e]k), adjective [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.]
When she came out she looked as pale and as bleak as one that were laid out dead. --Foxe.
2. Desolate and exposed; swept by cold winds.
Wastes too bleak to rear The common growth of earth, the foodful ear. --Wordsworth.
At daybreak, on the bleak sea beach. --Longfellow.
3. Cold and cutting; cheerless; as, a bleak blast. -- {Bleak"ish}, adjective -- {Bleak"ly}, adverb -- {Bleak"ness}, noun
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
bleakness
noun: a bleak and desolate atmosphere [syn: {desolation}]
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Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information. - KM |