bless

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)

1. To make something holy by religious rite, sanctify.
2. To invoke divine favor upon.

3. To honor as holy, glorify; to extol for excellence.
4. To esteem or account happy; to felicitate.
5. (Christianity) To make the sign of the cross upon, so as to sanctify.
6. (obsolete) To wave; to brandish.
7. (Perl programming, transitive, past tense only blessed) To turn (a reference) into an object.
8. (archaic, with from) To secure, defend, or prevent from.
9. (MTE, slang) To give or send.
10. (transitive) To approve of or assent to.

11. (Philippines) To perform the mano gesture; taking of an elder's hand to press it to one's forehead or kiss it (as a sign of respect)

Antonyms

• curse
• condemn
• (antonym(s) of “programming”): unbless

Derived terms

Related terms

• blessed
• blessing
• bleed
• blood

Descendants

• Sranan Tongo: blesi, bresi

Translations

Etymology 2

An ellipsis for an expression such as bless your heart.

Interjection

bless

1. (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

1. goodbye, bye

   Synonyms: vertu blessaður; vertu bless; bless bless; (informal) bæ

   Antonyms: halló; (informal) hæ

Related terms

• blessi þig (“bless you, gesundheit”)
• blessaður! (“greetings!”)
• sæll og blessaður! (“greetings!”)

Yola

Etymology

From Middle English blessen, from Old English bletsian, [Term?], from Proto-West Germanic *blōdisōn.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /blɛs/

Verb

bless (simple past blessed)

1. to bless

References