bless

[bles]

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

to consecrate or sanctify by a religious rite; make or pronounce holy.

to request of God the bestowal of divine favor on: Bless this house.

to bestow good of any kind upon: a nation blessed with peace.

to extol as holy; glorify: Bless the name of the Lord.

to protect or guard from evil (usually used as an interjection): Bless you! Bless your innocent little heart!

to condemn or curse: I'll be blessed if I can see your reasoning. Bless me if it isn't my old friend!

to make the sign of the cross over or upon: The Pope blessed the multitude.

Origin of bless

before 950; Middle English blessen, Old English blētsian, blēdsian to consecrate, orig. with blood, earlier *blōdisōian (blōd blood + -isō- derivational suffix + -ian v. suffix)

Related formsbless·er, nounbless·ing·ly, adverbout·bless, verb (used with object), out·blessed or out·blest, out·bles·sing.pre·bless, verb (used with object)

Synonyms for bless

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR bless ON THESAURUS.COM

1. exalt, hallow, glorify, magnify, beatify.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for bless

anoint, consecrate, baptize, ordain, thank, endow, celebrate, sprinkle, glorify, magnify, offer, canonize, sacrifice, confirm, dedicate, laud, sign, commend, exalt, honor

Examples from the Web for bless

Contemporary Examples of bless

Beth, bless her, later asks Joan what Gorman has done to her.
The Walking Dead’s ‘Slabtown’: The Real Source of Terror Isn’t Walkers, It’s Rape
Melissa Leon
November 3, 2014
On the one hand it can bless you with exceptional land for growing grapes.
Napa’s Earthquake Is Not The Only Thing Shaking The Vineyards
Clive Irving
August 31, 2014
Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance replacing it with a genuine respect and warm embrace of our differences.
How to Pray in the Public Square
Gene Robinson
May 11, 2014
Bless us with humility open to understanding that our own needs must always be balanced with those of the world.
How to Pray in the Public Square
Gene Robinson
May 11, 2014
So bless HBO for heating things up a bit with the release of an epic 15-minute trailer for the fourth season of Game of Thrones.
Watch HBO's Epic 'Game of Thrones' Season 4 Trailer (VIDEO)
Kevin Fallon
February 10, 2014

Historical Examples of bless

"She sees something in it we don't see, bless her," said her mother.
Life and Death of Harriett Frean
May Sinclair
The Universal Father could surely not do otherwise than bless all alike.
The Conquest of Fear
Basil King
Bless you, we all knows how to fall equally as well's how to get up again!
Weighed and Wanting
George MacDonald
Just; He will bless those who keep His law, and punish those who break it.
An Explanation of Luther's Small Catechism
Joseph Stump
God will bless them, not because they have earned a reward, but because He is merciful and gracious.
An Explanation of Luther's Small Catechism
Joseph Stump

British Dictionary definitions for bless

bless

verb blesses, blessing, blessed or blest (tr)

to consecrate or render holy, beneficial, or prosperous by means of a religious rite

to give honour or glory to (a person or thing) as divine or holy

to call upon God to protect; give a benediction to

to worship or adore (God); call or hold holy

(often passive) to grant happiness, health, or prosperity tothey were blessed with perfect peace

(usually passive) to endow with a talent, beauty, etcshe was blessed with an even temper

rare to protect against evil or harm

bless! (interjection) an exclamation of well-wishing

bless you! (interjection)

a traditional phrase said to a person who has just sneezed
an exclamation of well-wishing or surprise

bless me!, bless my soul! or God bless my soul! (interjection) an exclamation of surprise

not have a penny to bless oneself with to be desperately poor

Word Origin for bless

Old English blǣdsian to sprinkle with sacrificial blood; related to blōd blood

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for bless

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.