Blea (&?;), n. The part of a tree which lies immediately under the bark; the alburnum or sapwood.
Blea"ber*ry (&?;), n. (Bot.) See Blaeberry.
Bleach (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bleached (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Bleaching.] [OE. blakien, blechen, v. t. & v. i., AS. blcian, bl&?;can, to grow pale; akin to Icel. bleikja, Sw. bleka, Dan. blege, D. bleeken, G. bleichen, AS. blc pale. See Bleak, a.] To make white, or whiter; to remove the color, or stains, from; to blanch; to whiten.
The destruction of the coloring matters attached to the bodies to be bleached is effected either by the action of the air and light, of chlorine, or of sulphurous acid.
Ure.
Immortal liberty, whose look sublime
Hath bleached the tyrant's cheek in every varying clime.
Smollett.
Bleach, v. i. To grow white or lose color; to whiten.
Bleached (&?;), a. Whitened; make white.
Let their bleached bones, and blood's unbleaching stain,
Long mark the battlefield with hideous awe.
Byron.
Bleach"er (&?;), n. One who whitens, or whose occupation is to whiten, by bleaching.
Bleach"er*y (&?;), n.; pl. Bleacheries (&?;). A place or an establishment where bleaching is done.
Bleach"ing, n. The act or process of whitening, by removing color or stains; esp. the process of whitening fabrics by chemical agents. Ure.
Bleaching powder, a powder for bleaching, consisting of chloride of lime, or some other chemical or chemicals.
Bleak (&?;), a. [OE. blac, bleyke, bleche, AS. blc, bl&?;c, pale, wan; akin to Icel. bleikr, Sw. blek, Dan. bleg, OS. bl&?;k, D. bleek, OHG. pleih, G. bleich; all from the root of AS. blcan to shine; akin to OHG. blchen to shine; cf. L. flagrare to burn, Gr. &?; to burn, shine, Skr. bhrj to shine, and E. flame. &?;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.