to dazzle / deceive / blend
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to dazzle
To temporarily prevent someone from seeing because of light that is too bright, for example from headlights or the sun.
Die Scheinwerfer des entgegenkommenden Autos haben mich so stark geblendet, dass ich kurz nichts sehen konnte.
The headlights of the oncoming car dazzled me so badly that I couldn't see anything for a moment.
to dazzle
To strongly impress and often also deceive someone through appearances, wealth, or promises, so that the person no longer sees reality clearly.
Er ließ sich von ihrem luxuriösen Lebensstil und den großen Versprechungen blenden.
He let himself be dazzled by her luxurious lifestyle and big promises.
to be taken in by
To let oneself be deceived or impressed by something or someone without recognizing the true nature or disadvantages.
Lass dich nicht von den günstigen Preisen blenden, die Qualität ist oft sehr schlecht.
Don't be taken in by the low prices; the quality is often very poor.
to blend
To mix different varieties of a product (e.g., coffee, tea, tobacco, or wine) in order to achieve a specific, consistent quality or a special flavor.
Für diesen Whisky werden verschiedene Destillate sorgfältig geblendet, um das perfekte Aroma zu kreieren.
For this whisky, different distillates are carefully blended to create the perfect aroma.
Although 'blenden' sounds similar to the English 'to blend', it usually has a different meaning. The most common meaning of 'to blend' (e.g., mixing ingredients in a blender) is 'mixen' in German.
Die tiefstehende Sonne hat mich beim Autofahren geblendet.
The low sun dazzled me while I was driving.
When talking about light, the light source can be the subject. Alternatively, you can use a passive construction with 'von' to put the focus on the person.
Das grelle Licht der Lampe blendet mich.
The bright light of the lamp dazzles me.
In the figurative meaning 'täuschen' (to deceive), the preposition 'mit' is often used to name the means of deception.
Der Betrüger blendete seine Opfer mit Versprechungen von schnellem Reichtum.
The fraudster dazzled his victims with promises of quick wealth.
The reflexive expression 'sich blenden lassen' has a fixed structure. The thing or person that deceives is always connected with 'von' and the dative.
Lass dich nicht von seinem Lächeln blenden!
Don't be taken in by his smile!
In the meaning 'mischen' (to mix), 'blenden' is a technical term from the production of luxury consumables such as coffee, tea, tobacco, or spirits. It is not used this way in everyday language.
Für diesen Tee werden verschiedene Sorten aus Indien und Sri Lanka geblendet.
For this tea, different varieties from India and Sri Lanka are blended.
to impress
Beeindrucken and blenden can both describe a strong positive effect produced by outward qualities. Beeindrucken does not imply deception, while blenden usually emphasizes outward appearance and possible deception. Use beeindrucken for genuine quality and blenden when appearances conceal reality.
Der glänzende Rahmen des Fahrrads blendete mich, obwohl die Qualität nicht besonders gut war.
The bicycle's shiny frame dazzled me, even though its quality was not particularly good.
Die klare Gestaltung und die gute Qualität des Fahrrads beeindruckten mich.
The bicycle's clear design and high quality impressed me.
