Link Centre Dictionary

bless

UK/blɛs/ US/ˈblɛs/ common informal slang uk

verb

1.

give a benediction to

  • “The dying man blessed his son”
Antonyms
2.
3.

make the sign of the cross over someone in order to call on God for protection; consecrate

Synonyms
4.

Origin

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.

Phrases

  • bless me
  • bless my cotton socks
  • bless my soul
  • bless oneself
  • bless out
  • bless someone with
  • bless someone's cotton socks
  • bless someone's heart

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.