blessing
Americannoun
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the act or words of a person who blesses.
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a special favor, mercy, or benefit.
the blessings of liberty.
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a favor or gift bestowed by God, thereby bringing happiness.
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the invoking of God's favor upon a person.
The son was denied his father's blessing.
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praise; devotion; worship, especially grace said before a meal.
The children took turns reciting the blessing.
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approval or good wishes.
The proposed law had the blessing of the governor.
noun
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the act of invoking divine protection or aid
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the words or ceremony used for this
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a short prayer of thanksgiving before or after a meal; grace
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Also called: brachah. brocho. Judaism
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a short prayer prescribed for a specific occasion and beginning "Blessed art thou, O Lord…"
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a section of the liturgy including a similar formula
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approval; good wishes
her father gave his blessing to the marriage
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the bestowal of a divine gift or favour
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a happy event or state of affairs
a blessing in disguise
Etymology
Origin of blessing
First recorded before 900; Middle English blessinge, blessunge, Old English bletsung, bledsung; equivalent to bless + -ing 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“This is a difficult time, hermanica, and we each made the best choice we could. I am sure Mother and Father are blessing you from on high.”
From Literature
It’s a blessing that I’m able to be in this position because a lot of kids don’t have this opportunity.
From Los Angeles Times
The couple, married 47 years, also had three children — all daughters, Cara, Venessa and Jenna, which proved to be a blessing, their mother said, since none would feel pressured to follow their father into football.
From Los Angeles Times
What the West now needs, as Mr. Johnson put it, is renewal, “recommitting to our best principles,” including “remembering our blessings and from where we came,” moral citizens and courage.
They may benefit from being around others like themselves but are missing out on many blessings of typical parish life.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
