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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Blenk, n. Also: blank, blaink(e. [Northern ME. blenke (14th c.), f. Blenk, v. Cf. Blink n.]

1. A glance of the eye, a look; esp. a pleasant or cheerful glance. c1460 Wisd. Sol. 699.
Na wysmen suld behald the bewte of women, that thai be nocht tan with thar suet blenkis a1500 Henr. Orph. 81.
With wordis sweit & blenkis amorus Id. Test. Cress. 227.
Scho was … Prouocative with blenkis amorous c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 494.
To the bernis far but sueit blenkis I cast 1535 Stewart 1041.
The ȝoung virgeins with blenkis amorus a1568 Bann. MS. 218 a/20.
The blenkis of that dulce amene 1587-99 Hume ii. 70.
The eyes sa reddie are to see … With bemming blenks, & persing luiks what sa the fantasie wald 1650 Maxwell Mem. 351.
Cureing … diseases, such as blastings, wrestings, blanks of ane ill eye Ib. 354.
For the blainke of ane ill eye

b. A glance, brief look, at something. 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 108.
Weill at a blenk sle poetry nocht tayn is Ib. xiii. viii. 61.
At the first blenk astonyst half wolx he c1590 Fowler 76/256.
They wer win all to his love at his first blenke & vew 1637 Baillie I. 15.
Have my last [letter] besyde yow, that when ye take a blenk of it [etc.] 1638 Ib. 128.
The young man … for no intreatie would be pleased to show him any blenk of the Assemblie-books

2. A bright or short gleam of light. 1513 Doug. vi. xiii. 87.
The landis lyis without the starnys blenk Ib. vii. viii. 114.
The brycht mettale … Quharon the sonnys blenkis betis cleir 1560 Rolland Seven S. 100/16.
Blenks of candill … Maist like fireflauchts a1585 Maitl. Q. lxix. 14.
Blisfull blenkis of Phoebus beamis bricht 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1671) 178.
I am in this hot summer blenk with the tear in my eye

3. fig. A gleam of comfort, bliss, etc. 1587-99 Hume 106/118.
It is … taken away with blenks of heauenly comforte a 1610 Sempill Ball. 248.
Lytle blenks of bles [= bliss] 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1671) 135.
Some short blenks of his sweet love c1705 Nimmo Narr. 9.
Many a sweet blaink of His favor was I trysted with