The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Bleak \Bleak\ (bl[=e]k), a. [OE. blac, bleyke, bleche, AS.
   bl[=a]c, bl[=ae]c, pale, wan; akin to Icel. bleikr, Sw. blek,
   Dan. bleg, OS. bl[=e]k, D. bleek, OHG. pleih, G. bleich; all
   from the root of AS. bl[imac]can to shine; akin to OHG.
   bl[imac]chen to shine; cf. L. flagrare to burn, Gr. fle`gein
   to burn, shine, Skr. bhr[=a]j to shine, and E. flame.
   [root]98. Cf. Bleach, Blink, Flame.]
   1. Without color; pale; pallid. [Obs.]
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            When she came out she looked as pale and as bleak as
            one that were laid out dead.          --Foxe.
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   2. Desolate and exposed; swept by cold winds.
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            Wastes too bleak to rear
            The common growth of earth, the foodful ear.
                                                  --Wordsworth.
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            At daybreak, on the bleak sea beach.  --Longfellow.
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   3. Cold and cutting; cheerless; as, a bleak blast.
      [1913 Webster] -- Bleak"ish, a. -- Bleak"ly, adv. --
      Bleak"ness, n.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

bleakness
    n 1: a bleak and desolate atmosphere; "the nakedness of the
         landscape" [syn: bleakness, desolation, bareness,
         nakedness]