Etymology

Always derived from ON, cp. the OIcel wk. v. blikna 'to pale, turn sallow'. An independent native formation is also conceivable, although the sense at Cl 1759 is best explained by input the ON v.. The sense 'to shine', as OED notes, indicates influence from blykke (v.).

PGmc Ancestor

*blik-

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

blikna 'to pale, turn sallow'
(ONP blikna (vb.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

OE Cognate

Phonological and morphological markers

Summary category

CC1ac

(C3c)

Attestation

Only attested from a handful of 14c and 15c texts

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

Cl 1467, 1759; WA 604

Bibliography

MED bliknen (v.) , OED bliken (v.) , HTOED , HTOED , Bj. 231, de Vries blikna, Mag. blikna