Part 1185

<hw>Bleak</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[From <er>Bleak</er>, <tt>a.</tt>, cf. <er>Blay</er>.]</ety> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>A small European river fish <spn>(Leuciscus alburnus)</spn>, of the family Cyprinid\'91; the blay.</def> <altsp>[Written also <asp>blick</asp>.]</altsp>

<note>&hand; The silvery pigment lining the scales of the <i>bleak</i> is used in the manufacture of artificial pearls.</note>

<i>Baird.</i>

<h1>Bleaky</h1> <Xpage=154>

<hw>Bleak"y</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Bleak.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Dryden.</i>

<h1>Blear</h1> <Xpage=154>

<hw>Blear</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[See <er>Blear</er>, <ets>v</ets>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Dim or sore with water or rheum; -- said of the eyes.</def>

<blockquote>His <b>blear</b> eyes ran in gutters to his chin. <i>Dryden.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Causing or caused by dimness of sight; dim.</def>

<blockquote>Power to cheat the eye with <b>blear</b> illusion. <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Blear</h1> <Xpage=154>

<hw>Blear</hw>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Bleared</er> <tt>(#)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Blearing</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[OE. <ets>bleren</ets>; cf. Dan. <ets>plire</ets> to blink, Sw. <ets>plira</ets> to twinkle, wink, LG. <ets>plieren</ets>; perh. from the same root as E. <ets>blink</ets>. See <er>Blink</er>, and cf. <er>Blur</er>.]</ety> <def>To make somewhat sore or watery, as the eyes; to dim, or blur, as the sight. Figuratively: To obscure (mental or moral perception); to blind; to hoodwink.</def>

<blockquote>That tickling rheums Should ever tease the lungs and <b>blear</b> the sight. <i>Cowper.</i></blockquote>

<cs><col>To blear the eye of</col>, <cd>to deceive; to impose upon. <mark>[Obs.]</mark></cd></cs>

<i>Chaucer.</i>

<h1>Bleared</h1> <Xpage=154>

<hw>Bleared</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Dimmed, as by a watery humor; affected with rheum.</def> -- <wordforms><wf>Blear"ed*ness</wf> <tt>(<?/)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt></wordforms>

<blockquote>Dardanian wives, With <b>bleared</b> visages, come forth to view The issue of the exploit. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Bleareye</h1> <Xpage=154>

<hw>Blear"eye`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Med.)</fld> <def>A disease of the eyelids, consisting in chronic inflammation of the margins, with a gummy secretion of sebaceous matter.</def>

<i>Dunglison.</i>

<h1>Blear-eyed</h1> <Xpage=154>

<hw>Blear"-eyed`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Having sore eyes; having the eyes dim with rheum; dim-sighted.</def>

<blockquote>The <b>blear-eyed</b> Crispin. <i>Drant.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Lacking in perception or penetration; short-sighted; <as>as, a <ex>blear-eyed</ex> bigot</as>.</def>

<h1>Bleareyedness</h1> <Xpage=154>

<hw>Blear"eyed`ness</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The state of being blear-eyed.</def>