Wiktionary

bless

See also: Bless

English

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Pronunciation

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  • enPR: blĕs, IPA(key): /blɛs/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛs

Etymology 1

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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

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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 make the sign of the cross upon, so as to sanctify.
  3. To invoke divine favor upon.
  4. To honor as holy, glorify; to extol for excellence.
  5. To esteem or account happy; to felicitate.
  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.
    Could you bless me the link for the original post?
    I'm actually marved right now, can you bless me some cash?
    • 2021 April 13, u/saltymotherfker, “Popular male in a Toronto high school starterpack”, in Reddit‎[1], r/starterpacks, archived from the original on 3 December 2023:
      Ahlie fam ¶ Do u have grabba? ¶ Bless me a change for the ttc
    • 2022 July 28, u/RedditUser19070203, “First ever car at 19! Tried my best to negotiate how did I do? That stupid 1 year anti theft was forced and I couldn't remove it. Did get a 650 rebate on a Jetta which is pretty tough tbh”, in Reddit‎[2], r/jetta, archived from the original on 3 December 2023:
      How in the hell did you find that out LOL😂. Are you a working man there? If so, bless me a discount bro. If not yeah Pickering is the way to go. Went to Whitby and Toronto wasn't that good
    • 2022 August 7, u/introverted_logician, “Anyone know any Canadian sneaker YouTubers?”, in Reddit‎[3], r/SneakersCanada, archived from the original on 3 December 2023:
      Lmao can you bless me a Foam runner w retail price man🙃. I wear size 9 lol. Huge fan of your channel.
    • 2022 September 28, u/MyTorontoAccount, “Did anyone get presale code yet”, in Reddit‎[4], r/torontoraptors, archived from the original on 3 December 2023:
      Someone bless me a code
  10. (transitive) To approve of or assent to.
    After those modifications, the Board blessed the reorganization plan.
  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)
     
    English Wikipedia has an article on:
    Wikipedia
    You should bless your relatives, because they have arrived here already.
Antonyms
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Derived terms
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Descendants
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  • Sranan Tongo: blesi, bresi
Translations
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Etymology 2

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An ellipsis for an expression such as bless your heart.

Interjection

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bless

  1. (UK, Canada, informal) Used as an expression of endearment, gratitude, or (ironically) belittlement.
    • 1998, Peter Coffey, “New Alternative View Of Atomic Structure”, in sci.chem (Usenet):
      Ah bless! You must be the welcoming committee for anyone who dares express ignorance.
    • 2000, Hellraiser, uk.people.teens (Usenet):
      oh bless. *hug* that is not true. nobody here bears a grudge against 13 year old dear or against you.
    • 2001, Will, “Am I still here?”, in uk.religion.pagan (Usenet):
      Aw bless... have white chocolate fudge muffin....a new batch.... made them last night after Nigella....

Anagrams

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Icelandic

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Etymology

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Presumably a clipping related to the greeting vertu blessaður (literally “be blessed”), compare English God bless.

Pronunciation

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  This entry needs an audio pronunciation. If you are a native speaker with a microphone, please record this word. The recorded pronunciation will appear here when it's ready.

Interjection

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bless

  1. goodbye, bye

Synonyms

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Antonyms

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Yola

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Etymology

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From Middle English blessen, from Old English bletsian,, from Proto-West Germanic *blōdisōn.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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bless (simple past blessed)

  1. to bless
    • 1867, “A YOLA ZONG”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 14, pages 90[1]:
      Zo bless all oore frends, an God zpeed ee plowe.
      So bless all our friends, and God speed the plough.
    • 1927, “PAUDEEN FOUGHLAAN'S WEDDEEN”, in THE ANCIENT DIALECT OF THE BARONIES OF FORTH AND BARGY, COUNTY WEXFORD, page 133, lines 7[2]:
      "Gud bless thee mee gurles," hay zaid, "own an aal."
      "God bless you, my children," he said, "one and all."

References

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  1. ^ Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867
  2. ^ Kathleen A. Browne (1927) The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland Sixth Series, Vol.17 No.2, Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland
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