English Online Dictionary. What means bless? What does bless mean?
English
Pronunciation
- enPR: blĕs, IPA(key): /blɛs/
- Rhymes: -ɛs
Etymology 1
From Middle English blessen, from Old English bletsian (“to consecrate (with blood)”), from Proto-West Germanic *blōdisōn (“to sprinkle, mark or hallow with blood”), from Proto-Germanic *blōþą (“blood”), of uncertain origin, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₃- (“to bloom”). Cognate with Old Norse bleza (“to bless”) (whence Icelandic blessa), Old English blēdan (“to bleed”). More at bleed. Equivalent to blood + -se.
Verb
bless (third-person singular simple present blesses, present participle blessing, simple past and past participle blest or blessed)
- To make something holy by religious rite, sanctify.
- To make the sign of the cross upon, so as to sanctify.
- To invoke divine favor upon.
- To honor as holy, glorify; to extol for excellence.
- To esteem or account happy; to felicitate.
- (obsolete) To wave; to brandish.
- (Perl programming, transitive, past tense only blessed) To turn (a reference) into an object.
- (archaic, with from) To secure, defend, or prevent from.
- (MTE, slang) To give or send.
- (transitive) To approve of or assent to.
- After those modifications, the Board blessed the reorganization plan.
Antonyms
- curse
- condemn
- (programming): unbless
Derived terms
Related terms
- blessed
- blessing
- bleed
- blood
Translations
Etymology 2
An ellipsis for an expression such as bless your heart.
Interjection
bless
- (UK, Canada, informal) Used as an expression of endearment, gratitude, or (ironically) belittlement.
Anagrams
- ESBLs, slebs
Icelandic
Etymology
Presumably a clipping related to the greeting vertu blessaður (literally “be blessed”), compare English God bless.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈplɛs/
Interjection
bless
- goodbye, bye
Synonyms
- vertu blessaður
- vertu bless
- bless bless
- bæ (informal)
Antonyms
- halló
- hæ (informal)
Related terms
- blessi þig (“bless you, gesundheit”)
- blessaður! (“greetings!”)
- sæll og blessaður! (“greetings!”)
Yola
Etymology
From Middle English blessen, from Old English bletsian,, from Proto-West Germanic *blōdisōn.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /blɛs/
Verb
bless (simple past blessed)
- to bless