v. 1 tr. make white or pale by extracting colour. 2 intr. & tr. grow or make pale from shock, fear, etc. 3 tr. Cookery a peel (almonds etc.) by scalding. b immerse (vegetables or meat) briefly in boiling water. 4 tr. whiten (a plant) by depriving it of light. blanch over give a deceptively good impression of (a fault etc.) by misrepresentation.
[ ME f. OF blanchir f. blanc white, BLANK ]