Search Result for "bleakness": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (1)

1. a bleak and desolate atmosphere;
- Example: "the nakedness of the landscape"
[syn: bleakness, desolation, bareness, nakedness]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Bleak \Bleak\ (bl[=e]k), a. [OE. blac, bleyke, bleche, AS. bl[=a]c, bl[=ae]c, pale, wan; akin to Icel. bleikr, Sw. blek, Dan. bleg, OS. bl[=e]k, D. bleek, OHG. pleih, G. bleich; all from the root of AS. bl[imac]can to shine; akin to OHG. bl[imac]chen to shine; cf. L. flagrare to burn, Gr. fle`gein to burn, shine, Skr. bhr[=a]j to shine, and E. flame. [root]98. Cf. Bleach, Blink, Flame.] 1. Without color; pale; pallid. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] When she came out she looked as pale and as bleak as one that were laid out dead. --Foxe. [1913 Webster] 2. Desolate and exposed; swept by cold winds. [1913 Webster] Wastes too bleak to rear The common growth of earth, the foodful ear. --Wordsworth. [1913 Webster] At daybreak, on the bleak sea beach. --Longfellow. [1913 Webster] 3. Cold and cutting; cheerless; as, a bleak blast. [1913 Webster] -- Bleak"ish, a. -- Bleak"ly, adv. -- Bleak"ness, n. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

bleakness n 1: a bleak and desolate atmosphere; "the nakedness of the landscape" [syn: bleakness, desolation, bareness, nakedness]