blanch
/blɑːntʃ/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To make something pale or white, especially by pouring hot water over food briefly. It can also mean to become pale from fear or shock.
- Blanch the spinach before freezing it.
- Her face blanched when she heard the news.
Adinary Nuance
Blanch is close to pale, whiten, and bleach, but it is not the same as all three. Use blanch for a quick change to a pale colour, especially in cooking or from shock. Pale is more general, and bleach usually means to make much whiter with chemicals.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- chần
- Spanish
- escaldar
- Chinese
- 焯
- Japanese
- 湯通しする
- Korean
- 데치다
Etymology
Blanch came into English from Old French in the Middle English period. The word is related to the idea of becoming white or pale.
Common phrases
blanch vegetablesblanch brieflyblanch in boiling water
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is blanch mainly used in cooking?
- Yes. It often means to briefly cook food in hot water, then cool it fast.
- What is the difference between blanch and pale?
- Pale is a general word. Blanch often means a sudden, noticeable paleness.
- Can blanch describe feelings?
- Yes. A face can blanch from fear, shock, or embarrassment.
- Is blanch a common everyday word?
- It is common in cooking and in written descriptions, but less common in speech.