bless








verb (used with object), blessed or blest, bless·ing.

  1. to consecrate or sanctify by a religious rite; make or pronounce holy.
  2. to request of God the bestowal of divine favor on: Bless this house.
  3. to bestow good of any kind upon: a nation blessed with peace.
  4. to extol as holy; glorify: Bless the name of the Lord.
  5. to protect or guard from evil (usually used as an interjection): Bless you! Bless your innocent little heart!
  6. to condemn or curse: I’ll be blessed if I can see your reasoning. Bless me if it isn’t my old friend!
  7. to make the sign of the cross over or upon: The Pope blessed the multitude.

verb blesses, blessing, blessed or blest (tr)

  1. to consecrate or render holy, beneficial, or prosperous by means of a religious rite
  2. to give honour or glory to (a person or thing) as divine or holy
  3. to call upon God to protect; give a benediction to
  4. to worship or adore (God); call or hold holy
  5. (often passive) to grant happiness, health, or prosperity tothey were blessed with perfect peace
  6. (usually passive) to endow with a talent, beauty, etcshe was blessed with an even temper
  7. rare to protect against evil or harm
  8. bless! (interjection) an exclamation of well-wishing
  9. bless you! (interjection)
    1. a traditional phrase said to a person who has just sneezed
    2. an exclamation of well-wishing or surprise
  10. bless me!, bless my soul! or God bless my soul! (interjection) an exclamation of surprise
  11. not have a penny to bless oneself with to be desperately poor
v.

Old English bletsian, bledsian, Northumbrian bloedsian “to consecrate, make holy, give thanks,” from Proto-Germanic *blodison “hallow with blood, mark with blood,” from *blotham “blood” (see blood).

Originally a blood sprinkling on pagan altars. This word was chosen in Old English bibles to translate Latin benedicere and Greek eulogein, both of which have a ground sense of “to speak well of, to praise,” but were used in Scripture to translate Hebrew brk “to bend (the knee), worship, praise, invoke blessings.” Meaning shifted in late Old English toward “pronounce or make happy,” by resemblance to unrelated bliss. No cognates in other languages. Related: Blessed; blessing.

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