bless

• enPR: blĕs, IPA^(key): /blɛs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛs

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.

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.
   • 1577, Raphaell Holinshed, The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande […], volume I, London: […] [Henry Bynneman] for Iohn Harrison, →OCLC:

     the archbishop vsing certeine praiers, blessed the king

3. To invoke divine favor upon.
4. To honor as holy, glorify; to extol for excellence.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 103:1, column 2:

     A Pſalme of Dauid. Bleſſe the Lord, O my ſoule: and all that is within me, bleſſe his holy Name.

5. To esteem or account happy; to felicitate.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Jeremiah 4:2, column 1:

     And thou ſhalt ſweare, The Lord liueth, in Trueth, in Iudgement, and in Righteouſnes, and the nations ſhall bleſſe themſelues in him, and in him ſhall they glorie.

6. (obsolete) To wave; to brandish.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto V”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 6:

     And burning blades about their heads do blesse.

   • 1600, [Torquato Tasso], “(please specify |book=1 to 20)”, in Edward Fairefax [i.e., Edward Fairfax], transl., Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem. […], London: […] Ar[nold] Hatfield, for I[saac] Iaggard and M[atthew] Lownes, →OCLC:

     Round his armed head his trenchant blade he blest.

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.
   • c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv]:

     Bless me from marrying a usurer.

   • a. 1645, John Milton, “Il Penseroso”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC, page 40:

     To bleſs the dores from nightly harm

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, 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, 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, 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, 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.

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

• blessed
• blessing
• bleed
• blood

An ellipsis for an expression such as bless your heart.

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....

• ESBLs, slebs

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

• IPA^(key): /ˈplɛs/

bless

1. goodbye, bye

• vertu blessaður
• vertu bless
• bless bless
• bæ (informal)

• halló
• hæ (informal)

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

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

• IPA^(key): /blɛs/

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."