ETYM Old Eng. blac, bleyke, bleche, AS. blâc, blec, pale, wan; akin to Icel. bleikr, Swed. blek, Dan. bleg, OS. blaek, Dutch bleek, Old High Germ. pleih, German bleich; Skr. bhrâj to shine, and Eng. flame.
Unpleasantly cold and damp; SYN. cutting, raw.
1. Sévère. Homme austère.
2. Dépouillé. Style austère.
1. Triste. Visage morne.
2. Terne. Style morne.
1. Rigoureux.
2. Dur. Une décision sévère.
3. Austère. Des moeurs sévères.
4. Grave. Une mine sévère.
Small fresh-water fish having very silvery scales.
Freshwater fish Alburnus alburnus of the carp family.
It is up to to 20 cm/8 in long, and lives in still or slow-running clear water in Britain and Europe.
In Eastern Europe its scales are used in the preparation of artificial pearls.