Etymology

ON input has been argued to explain the vocalism and wk. conjugation of ME blenden, from the st. and wk.2 forms of ON blanda (cp. OIcel blanda ‘to ‘mix (together)’) respectively (e.g. OED). An ON wk. 1 v.*blenda < *blandjan- would more economically account for both features (and its existence is suggested by the OIcel verbal noun blendingr ‘mixture, blending’), however a case could also be made for a native source, as there is also some evidence for a wk. 1 OE v. blendan ‘to blend’  or geblendan (see further Dance) and while loan from ON is therefore possible, it is not necessary to explain the ME form. See also blande (v.) and blande (n.).

PGmc Ancestor

*blandan-

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

blanda ‘to ‘mix (together)
(ONP blanda (2) (vb.), blanda (3) (vb.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

Far blanda, Icel blanda, Norw, blanda, Dan blande, Sw blanda

OE Cognate

blendan or ?(ge)blendan ‘to blend, mix’  

Phonological and morphological markers

Summary category

CCC1c

Attestation

Characteristically northern in ME as cited in MED (the OED citation from Chaucer (Truth) (and see McGee 496), is glossed ‘blinds, deceives’ in the Riverside edition, i.e. as belonging to MED’s blēnden v.1). For the few occurrences of OE blendan and geblendan, see DOE s.vv. blandan and geblandan.

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

Gaw 1361, 1610, 2371; Pe 385, 1016; Cl 967, 1788; Pat 227; WA 105

Bibliography

MED blēnden (v.2) , OED blend (v.2) , HTOED , HTOED , Dance blende, de Vries blanda (2); blendingr, Mag. blanda, Bj-L blande, Seebold bland-a-, Orel *ƀlanðanan, Kroonen *blandan-, DOE blandan; geblandan