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blessing

American  
[bles-ing] / ˈblɛs ɪŋ /

noun

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

  2. a special favor, mercy, or benefit.

    the blessings of liberty.
    Synonyms:
    bounty, profit, gain, boon, advantage

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

  4. the invoking of God's favor upon a person.

    The son was denied his father's blessing.

  5. praise; devotion; worship, especially grace said before a meal.

    The children took turns reciting the blessing.

  6. approval or good wishes.

    The proposed law had the blessing of the governor.
blessing British  
/ ˈblɛsɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act of invoking divine protection or aid

  2. the words or ceremony used for this

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

  4. Also called: brachah.   brocho.  Judaism

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

    2. a section of the liturgy including a similar formula

  5. approval; good wishes

    her father gave his blessing to the marriage

  6. the bestowal of a divine gift or favour

  7. 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
blessing Idioms  

    More idioms and phrases containing blessing

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.

“But sometimes a blessing comes our way. And as we reach ourselves out of the darkness of loss, light can reach us.”

From Los Angeles Times

For yield-focused dividend investors, however, it could be a mixed blessing.

From Barron's

"May her memory be a blessing to us all."

From BBC

“I think it could have been a blessing in disguise,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

"I'm just really looking forward to going out there and competing at the highest level again. It's all a blessing at this point."

From Barron's

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.