Part 677

Blame, n. [OE. blame, fr. F. blâme, OF. blasme, fr. blâmer, OF. blasmer, to blame. See Blame, v.] 1. An expression of disapprobation fir something deemed to be wrong; imputation of fault; censure.

Let me bear the blame forever. Gen. xiiii. 9.

2. That which is deserving of censure or disapprobation; culpability; fault; crime; sin.

Holy and without blame before him in love. Eph. i. 4.

3. Hurt; injury. [Obs.] Spenser.

Syn. -- Censure; reprehension; condemnation; reproach; fault; sin; crime; wrongdoing.

Blame"ful (&?;), a. 1. Faulty; meriting blame. Shak.

2. Attributing blame or fault; implying or conveying censure; faultfinding; censorious. Chaucer.

-- Blame"ful*ly, adv. -- Blame"ful*ness, n.

Blame"less, a. Free from blame; without fault; innocent; guiltless; -- sometimes followed by of.

A bishop then must be blameless. 1 Tim. iii. 2.

Blameless still of arts that polish to deprave. Mallet.

We will be blameless of this thine oath. Josh. ii. 17.

Syn. -- Irreproachable; sinless; unblemished; inculpable. -- Blameless, Spotless, Faultless, Stainless. We speak of a thing as blameless when it is free from blame, or the just imputation of fault; as, a blameless life or character. The others are stronger. We speak of a thing as faultless, stainless, or spotless, only when we mean that it is absolutely without fault or blemish; as, a spotless or stainless reputation; a faultless course of conduct. The last three words apply only to the general character, while blameless may be used in reverence to particular points; as, in this transaction he was wholly blameless. We also apply faultless to personal appearance; as, a faultless figure; which can not be done in respect to any of the other words.

Blame"less*ly, adv. In a blameless manner.

Blame"less*ness, n. The quality or state of being blameless; innocence.

Blam"er (&?;), n. One who blames. Wyclif.

Blame"wor`thy (&?;), a. Deserving blame; culpable; reprehensible. -- Blame"wor`thi*ness, n.

Blan"card (&?;), n. [F., fr. blanc white.] A kind of linen cloth made in Normandy, the thread of which is partly blanches before it is woven.

Blanch (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blanched (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Blanching.] [OE. blanchen, blaunchen, F. blanchir, fr. blanc white. See Blank, a.]

1. To take the color out of, and make white; to bleach; as, to blanch linen; age has blanched his hair.

2. (Gardening) To bleach by excluding the light, as the stalks or leaves of plants, by earthing them up or tying them together.

3. (Confectionery & Cookery) (a) To make white by removing the skin of, as by scalding; as, to blanch almonds. (b) To whiten, as the surface of meat, by plunging into boiling water and afterwards into cold, so as to harden the surface and retain the juices.

4. To give a white luster to (silver, before stamping, in the process of coining.).

5. To cover (sheet iron) with a coating of tin.

6. Fig.: To whiten; to give a favorable appearance to; to whitewash; to palliate.

Blanch over the blackest and most absurd things. Tillotson.

Syn. -- To Blanch, Whiten. To whiten is the generic term, denoting, to render white; as, to whiten the walls of a room. Usually (though not of necessity) this is supposed to be done by placing some white coloring matter in or upon the surface of the object in question. To blanch is to whiten by the removal of coloring matter; as, to blanch linen. So the cheek is blanched by fear, i. e., by the withdrawal of the blood, which leaves it white.