bless

• enPR: blĕs, IPA^(key): /blɛs/

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• 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.

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 55195564:

     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 964384981, 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 964384981, 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 960102938, 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 940138160:

     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 VVinters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [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 606951673, page 40:

     To bleſs the dores from nightly harm

• curse
• condemn
• (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, sci.chem, Usenet:

     Ah bless! You must be the welcoming committee for anyone who dares express ignorance.

   • 2000, "Hellraiser", a post in 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?, 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!”)

Compare Danish blis, Swedish bläs, Old Norse blys, blesóttr.

bless

1. mask

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

bless (simple past blessed)

1. to bless
   • 1867, “A YOLA ZONG”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 14:

     Zo bless all oore frends, an God zpeed ee plowe.

     So bless all our friends, and God speed the plough.

• Jacob Poole (1867), 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, page 90