blessing

[ bles-ing ]
See synonyms for: blessingblessings on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. the act or words of a person who blesses.

  2. a special favor, mercy, or benefit: the blessings of liberty.

  1. a favor or gift bestowed by God, thereby bringing happiness.

  2. the invoking of God's favor upon a person: The son was denied his father's blessing.

  3. praise; devotion; worship, especially grace said before a meal: The children took turns reciting the blessing.

  4. approval or good wishes: The proposed law had the blessing of the governor.

Origin of blessing

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English blessinge, blessunge, Old English bletsung, bledsung; equivalent to bless + -ing1

Other words for blessing

Words Nearby blessing

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use blessing in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for blessing

blessing

/ (ˈblɛsɪŋ) /


noun
  1. the act of invoking divine protection or aid

  2. the words or ceremony used for this

  1. a short prayer of thanksgiving before or after a meal; grace

  2. Also called: brachah, brocho Judaism

    • a short prayer prescribed for a specific occasion and beginning "Blessed art thou, O Lord…"

    • a section of the liturgy including a similar formula

  3. approval; good wishes: her father gave his blessing to the marriage

  4. the bestowal of a divine gift or favour

  5. a happy event or state of affairs: a blessing in disguise

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with blessing

blessing

In addition to the idiom beginning with blessing

  • blessing in disguise

also see:

  • give thanks for small blessings
  • mixed blessing

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.