1. adj.1 bare, exposed; windswept.
2 unpromising; dreary (bleak prospects).
Derivatives:
bleakly adv. bleakness n.
Etymology: 16th c.: rel. to obs. adjs. bleach, blake (f. ON bleikr) pale, ult. f. Gmc: cf. BLEACH 2. n. any of various species of small river-fish, esp. Alburnus alburnus.
Etymology: ME prob. f. ON bleikja, OHG bleicha f. Gmc