BLENCH

To shrink; to start back; to draw back, from lack of courage or resolution; to flinch; to quail. Blench not at thy chosen lot. Bryant. This painful, heroic task he undertook, and never blenched from its fulfillment. Jeffrey. To fly off; to turn aside. [Obs.] Though sometimes you do blench from this to that. Shak.

To baffle; to disconcert; to turn away; -- also, to obstruct; to hinder. [Obs.] Ye should have somewhat blenched him therewith, yet he might and would of likelihood have gone further. Sir T. More. To draw back from; to deny from fear. [Obs.] He now blenched what before he affirmed. Evelyn.

A looking aside or askance. [Obs.] These blenches gave my heart another youth. Shak.

To shrink; start back; give way; flinch; turn aside or fly off. | To quail. | To deceive; cheat. | To draw back from; shrink; avoid; elude; deny, as from fear. | To hinder; obstruct; disconcert; foil. | To fly off; to turn aside.

To blanch.

A deceit; a trick. | A sidelong glance.