blight meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

blight

noun

US, UK /blaɪt/

Etymology

The etymology of the noun is uncertain; suggested derivations include the following: * possibly related to Middle English blichening (“mildew or rust on grain, blight”), possibly related to Middle English bliken (“to gleam, shine; to turn pale”), from Old English blīcan (“to shine, sparkle”) (whence modern English blike (“(obsolete) to gleam, shine”); also compare Old Norse blikna (“to grow pallid”)), from Proto-West Germanic *blīkan (“to shine”), from Proto-Germanic *blīkaną (“to gleam, shine”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰleyǵ- (“to shine”); or * since sense 2.2 refers to a diseased condition of the skin, possibly from Middle English *bleighte, *bleȝte, from Old English blǣcþa (“leprosy”) (related to blǣċe (“an itching skin-disease”) and blǣċo (“leprosy; paleness”)), from Proto-West Germanic *blaik, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *blaikaz (“pale; white”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰleyǵ- (“to shine”). If so, the word is a doublet of bleak. The verb is derived from the noun.

Biology, Botany, Medicine, Natural sciences, Pathology, Phytopathology, Sciences A diseased condition suffered by a plant; specifically, a complete and rapid chlorosis, browning, then death of plant tissues such as floral organs, leaves, branches, or twigs, especially one caused by a fungus; a mildew, a rust, a smut.

Proceed, inhuman Parent in thy Scorn; / Root up my Trees, vvith Blites deſtroy my Corn; / My Vineyards Ruin, and my Sheepfolds burn.1697, Virgil, “The Fourth Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 136, lines 467–469:
As ſudden blights corrupt the ripen'd grain, / And of its verdure ſpoil the mournful plain; / So hapleſs love on blooming features preys, / So hapleſs love deſtroys our peaceful days.1720, John Gay, “[Miscellanies.] Panthea. An Elegy.”, in Poems on Several Occasions, volume II, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], and Bernard Lintot, […], →OCLC, page 388, lines 337–340:

2 more examples

Some there are vvho imagine the moſt deſtructive Blights vvhich attend Fruit-Trees, are produc'd by ſmall Shovvers of Rain, or vvhite Hoar-Froſts falling upon the Bloſſoms of Fruit-trees, vvhich being ſucceeded by cold North or Eaſterly VVinds, or froſty Mornings, are the Occaſion of the frequent Blights vvhich happen in the Spring Seaſon: […]1733, Philip Miller, “BLIGHTS”, in The Gardeners Dictionary: […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: […] C[harles] Rivington, […], →OCLC, column 1:
A blight in 1855–56 set back the industry, many plantations being ruined and then given over to sugar cane. After the blight had disappeared, the plantations were re-established, and prosperity continued for years.1922, William H[arrison] Ukers, “Cultivation of the Coffee Plant”, in All About Coffee, New York, N.Y.: The Tea and Coffee Trade Journal Company, →OCLC, page 241, column 1:

Biology, Botany, Medicine, Natural sciences, Pathology, Phytopathology, Sciences The cause of such a condition, often unseen but believed to be airborne; specifically, a bacterium, a virus, or (especially) a fungus; also, an aphid which attacks fruit trees.

Broadly A state of cloudy, humid weather.

And the youth stood by thy side and whispered to thee; and from his lips there came a reeking smoke, and in that smoke as in a blight the wings withered up.1848, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter IV, in Harold, the Last of the Saxon Kings; […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, book VIII (Fate), page 261:

Medicine, Pathology, Sciences Broadly, Dated A diseased condition of the face or skin; specifically, bleeding under the conjunctiva of the eye, a form of skin rash, or a palsy of the face due to cold.

Figuratively Something that impedes development or growth, or spoils any other aspect of life.

But a blight had come over my existence, and I only visited these people for the sake of the information they might give me on the subject in which my interest was so terribly profound.1816 June – 1817 April/May (date written), [Mary Shelley], chapter II, in Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. […], volume III, London: […] [Macdonald and Son] for Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones, published 1 January 1818, →OCLC, page 22:
He saw her image in the blight and blackness all around him, not irradiating but deepening the gloom.1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, “Mr. Dombey Goes Upon a Journey”, in Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC, page 201:

1 more example

She moved about the country like a ghost, gathering herbs in dark loanings, lingering in kirkyairds, and casting a blight on innocent bairns.1902 January, John Buchan, “The Outgoing of the Tide”, in The Watcher by the Threshold, and Other Tales, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, published 1902, →OCLC, page 231:

Figuratively, Specifically A rundown and unsightly condition of an urban area; also, such an area.

Derived terms: blight-beetle, blight bird, blight canker, blighten, blight in the eye, blightscape, blighty, eye blight, frictional blight, functional blight, Irish blight, planning blight, urban blight
Hyponyms: 48 terms
alder blight, American blight, aphis-blight, apple blight, bean blight, beet blight, blister blight, bur oak blight, cane blight, celery blight, chestnut blight, coffee blight, collar blight, early blight, fireblight, fire blight, fusarium ear blight, fusarium head blight, green blight, halo blight, head blight, kernel blight, late blight, leaf blight, moth blight, needle blight, northern corn-leaf blight, northern leaf blight, oak blight, peach blight, pear blight, pine blight, potato blight, rim blight, sandy blight, seedling blight, southern blight, Sphaeropsis blight, spinach blight, spur blight, stamen blight, stem blight, stripe blight, sun blight, thread blight, tomato blight, twig blight, walnut blight

blight

verb

Etymology

Biology, Botany, Medicine, Natural sciences, Pathology, Phytopathology, Sciences To affect the fertility or growth of (a plant) with a blight (noun sense 1.1), especially one caused by a fungus; to blast, to mildew, to smut.

But if it happens, as ſometimes it does, that this Vapour bears up along vvith it any noxious mineral Steams, it then blasts Vegetables, eſpecially thoſe vvhich are more young and tender: blights Corn and Fruits: and is ſometimes injurious even to Men vvho chance to be then abroad in the Fields.1695, John Woodward, “Part IV. Of the Origin and Formation of Metalls and Minerals.”, in An Essay toward a Natural History of the Earth: And Terrestrial Bodies, Especially Minerals: […], London: […] Ric[hard] Wilkin […], →OCLC, pages 212–213:
In your eye there is death, / There is frost on your breath / Which would blight the plants.1830 June, Alfred Tennyson, “The Poet’s Mind”, in Poems. […], volume I, London: Edward Moxon, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 51:

2 more examples

Oh, Love! like the blast of the desert thou blightest / The fairest of flowers with thy venomous breath.1840 August, “The Talisman”, in The Citizen; a Monthly Journal of Politics, Literature, and Art, volume II, number X, Dublin: Machen and Company, […]; London: Simpkin and Marshall, and Richard Groombridge, →OCLC, stanza IV, page 157:
Much is permitted to the power of spirits, so that, being unseen and unperceived, they appear rather in their effects than in their acts: as when some lurking evil in the air blighteth the fruit or grain in the blossom, killeth it in the blade, woundeth it in its full growth, and when the atmosphere tainted in some secret way poureth over the earth its pestilential vapours.1842, Tertullian, “The Book of Apology against the Heathen”, in C[harles] Dodgson, transl., edited by E[dward] B[ouverie] P[usey], Tertullian (A Library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church, […]; 10), volume I (Apologetic and Practical Treatises), Oxford, Oxfordshire: John Henry Parker; London: J. G. F. and J. Rivington, →OCLC, pages 54–55:

Medicine, Pathology, Sciences Broadly, Dated To affect (a body part) with a disease.

[B]lighted be the tongue / That names thy name without the honour due!1811, Walter Scott, The Vision of Don Roderick; a Poem, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for John Ballantyne and Co. […]; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC, stanza LI, page 47:

Figuratively To impede the development or growth of (an aspect of life); to damage, to ruin, to spoil.

Those obscene tattoos are going to blight your job prospects.
[T]o be too far in loue vvith vvorldly felicity, that ſo blighteth goodneſſe and pietie, vvhat is it but vvith the Thurij to make an idoll of the vvinde, and to be in loue vvith blaſting.1623, Iames Rowlandson [i.e., James Rowlandson], “The Second Sermon”, in Gods Blessing in Blasting, and His Mercy in Mildew. Two Sermons Sutable to These Times of Death, London: […] Iohn Haviland for William Bladen, […], →OCLC, page 44:

4 more examples

The lady Blast, you must understand, has such a particular malignity in her whisper, that it blights like an easterly wind, and withers every reputation that it breathes upon.1712 August 24 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], “WEDNESDAY, August 14, 1712”, in The Spectator, number 457; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume V, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 255:
Slavery, in all thy forms—mental and bodily—we detest thee! like the Upas-tree, thou blightest every thing within they poisonous influence; like the simoom, thou blastest all, wherever thy pestiferous breath reaches.1840 June, “[Reviews of New Books, &c.] Art. III.—A History of Slavery and Its Abolition. By Esther Copley (a New Edit.) pp. 648. Houlston & Stoneman, Paternoster Row.”, in Robert Montgomery Martin, editor, The Colonial Magazine and Commercial-Maritime Journal, volume II, number 6, London; Liverpool: Fisher, Son, & Co., page 236:
Even he, cold and indifferent as he is, shall repent! I shall blight his hopes, as he has blighted mine.1841, Catherine Sinclair, chapter IV, in Modern Flirtations; or, A Month at Harrowgate. […], volume III, Edinburgh: William Whyte and Co., […], →OCLC, page 78:
Then should we see depravity, impiety, drunkenness, theft, murder, and a long train of nameless sins against the natural affections and repulsions of mankind, overhanging the devoted spots, and creeping on, to blight the innocent and spread contagion among the pure.1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, “The Thunderbolt”, in Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC, page 459:

Of a plant: to suffer blight (noun sense 1.1).

This vine never blights.

Derived terms: blighted, blighter, blighting, blightingly, unblight

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

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Conjugation of “blight”, all tenses