BLANCH

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does blanch mean? 

• BLANCH (verb)
  The verb BLANCH has 2 senses:

1. turn pale, as if in fear

2. cook (vegetables) briefly

  Familiarity information: BLANCH used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BLANCH (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they blanch    ... he / she / it blanches   
Past simple: blanched   
Past participle: blanched   
-ing form: blanching   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Turn pale, as if in fear

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

blanch; blench; pale

Hypernyms (to "blanch" is one way to...):

color; colour; discolor; discolour (change color, often in an undesired manner)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Cook (vegetables) briefly

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

blanch; parboil

Context example:

Parboil the beans before freezing them

Hypernyms (to "blanch" is one way to...):

cook (transform and make suitable for consumption by heating)

Domain category:

cookery; cooking; preparation (the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

The chefs blanch the vegetables

 Context examples 

I leaned against a gate, and looked into an empty field where no sheep were feeding, where the short grass was nipped and blanched.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

The affected area appears red and blanches when touched.

(First-Degree Burn, NCI Thesaurus)

Transient blanching of the lower half of the body while in the lateral recumbent position, most commonly seen in premature or low birth weight infants.

(Harlequin Reaction, NCI Thesaurus)

In an instant the Lady Maude had turned upon her two blazing eyes and a face which was blanched with anger.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Indeed, it was almost mesmeric, the effect which this giggling ruffian had produced upon the unfortunate linguist, for he could not speak of him save with trembling hands and a blanched cheek.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Her thin hands clenched, and her worn face blanched with the passion of her hatred.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

When you get to the new moon near your birthday, that new moon is carte blanch, to use any way you please.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

By the light of the corridor-lamp I saw my sister appear at the opening, her face blanched with terror, her hands groping for help, her whole figure swaying to and fro like that of a drunkard.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A pale-yellow to red fatty oil; soluble in ether, chloroform, and carbon disulfide; taste and aroma are similar to almond oil; the oil is expressed from blanched seeds of peaches or apricots; used as a flavoring, in medicine, and as a nutrient similar to olive and almond oils.

(Persic Oil, NCI Thesaurus)

Here was the secret of her blanched face, her shaken nerves, her peals of hysterical laughter on the next morning.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)