# bless
## English
### Pronunciation

* enPR: blĕs, IPA: /blɛs/
* Audio (US):(file)
* Rhymes: -ɛs

### Etymology 1

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. Equivalent to blood + -se.

#### Verb

bless (third-person singular simple present blesses, present participle blessing, simple past and past participle blest or blessed)
* To make something holy by religious rite, sanctify.
* To invoke divine favor upon.
    In some countries, priests bless farm animals on St. Anthony's Day.
    In many families, a grace is said before dinner to give thanks for and bless the food.
* To honor as holy, glorify; to extol for excellence.
** 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 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.
* To esteem or account happy; to felicitate.
** 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 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.
* (Christianity) 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:the archbishop vsing certeine praiers, blessed the king
* (obsolete) To wave; to brandish.
** 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto V”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, 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:Round his armed head his trenchant blade he blest.
* (Perl programming, transitive, past tense only blessed) To turn (a reference) into an object.
* (archaic, with from) To secure, defend, or prevent from.
** c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [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, page 40:To bleſs the dores from nightly harm
* (MTE, slang) To give or send.
    Could you bless me the link for the original post?
    I'm actually marved right now, can you bless me some cash?
** 2021 April 13, u/saltymotherfker, “Popular male in a Toronto high school starterpack”, in Reddit‎, r/starterpacks, archived from the original on 3 December 2023:Ahlie fam ¶ Do u have grabba? ¶ Bless me a change for the ttc
** 2022 July 28, u/RedditUser19070203, “First ever car at 19! Tried my best to negotiate how did I do? That stupid 1 year anti theft was forced and I couldn't remove it. Did get a 650 rebate on a Jetta which is pretty tough tbh”, in Reddit‎, r/jetta, archived from the original on 3 December 2023:How in the hell did you find that out LOL😂. Are you a working man there? If so, bless me a discount bro. If not yeah Pickering is the way to go. Went to Whitby and Toronto wasn't that good
** 2022 August 7, u/introverted_logician, “Anyone know any Canadian sneaker YouTubers?”, in Reddit‎, r/SneakersCanada, archived from the original on 3 December 2023:Lmao can you bless me a Foam runner w retail price man🙃. I wear size 9 lol. Huge fan of your channel.
** 2022 September 28, u/MyTorontoAccount, “Did anyone get presale code yet”, in Reddit‎, r/torontoraptors, archived from the original on 3 December 2023:Someone bless me a code
* (transitive) To approve of or assent to.
    After those modifications, the Board blessed the reorganization plan.
* (Philippines) To perform the mano gesture; taking of an elder's hand to press it to one's forehead or kiss it (as a sign of respect) English Wikipedia has an article on:Mano (gesture)Wikipedia
    You should bless your relatives, because they have arrived here already.

##### Antonyms

* curse
* condemn
* (antonym(s) of “programming”): unbless

##### Derived terms

* bebless
* blessability
* blessable
* blessee
* blesser
* bless me
* bless my soul
* bless oneself
* bless out
* bless someone's cotton socks
* bless someone's heart
* bless someone with
* bless up
* bless us
* blessworthy
* bless you
* cobless
* God bless the Duke of Argyle
* God bless the Duke of Argyll
* God bless the mark
* God bless you
* Goddess bless
* Goddess bless you
* gods bless you
* outbless
* prebless
* rebless

##### Related terms

* blessed
* blessing
* bleed
* blood

##### Descendants

* Sranan Tongo: blesi, bresi

##### Translations
### Etymology 2

An ellipsis for an expression such as bless your heart.

#### Interjection

bless
* (UK, Canada, informal) Used as an expression of endearment, gratitude, or (ironically) belittlement.
** 1998, Peter Coffey, “New Alternative View Of Atomic Structure”, in sci.chem (Usenet):Ah bless! You must be the welcoming committee for anyone who dares express ignorance.
** 2000, Hellraiser, 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?”, in uk.religion.pagan (Usenet):Aw bless... have white chocolate fudge muffin....a new batch.... made them last night after Nigella....

### Anagrams

* ESBLs, slebs

## Icelandic
### Etymology

Presumably a clipping related to the greeting vertu blessaður (literally “be blessed”), compare English God bless.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈplɛs/
* This entry needs an audio pronunciation. If you are a native speaker with a microphone, please record this word. The recorded pronunciation will appear here when it's ready.

### Interjection

bless
* goodbye, bye
    Synonyms: vertu blessaður; vertu bless; bless bless; (informal) bæ
    Antonyms: halló; (informal) hæ

#### Related terms

* blessi þig (“bless you, gesundheit”)
* blessaður! (“greetings!”)
* sæll og blessaður! (“greetings!”)

## Yola
### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /blɛs/

### Verb

bless (simple past blessed)
* to bless
** 1867, “A YOLA ZONG”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 14, pages 90:Zo bless all oore frends, an God zpeed ee plowe.So bless all our friends, and God speed the plough.
** 1927, “PAUDEEN FOUGHLAAN'S WEDDEEN”, in THE ANCIENT DIALECT OF THE BARONIES OF FORTH AND BARGY, COUNTY WEXFORD, page 133, lines 7:"Gud bless thee mee gurles," hay zaid, "own an aal.""God bless you, my children," he said, "one and all."

### References

* ↑ Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) 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, published 1867
* ↑ Kathleen A. Browne (1927) The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland Sixth Series, Vol.17 No.2, Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland