bless

To make something holy by religious rite, sanctify.

Interjection

Used as an expression of endearment, gratitude, or (ironically) belittlement.
- Ah bless! You must be the welcoming committee for anyone who dares express ignorance. - 1998, Peter Coffey, “New Alternative View Of Atomic Structure”, in sci.chem (Usenet):
- oh bless. *hug* that is not true. nobody here bears a grudge against 13 year old dear or against you. - 2000, Hellraiser, uk.people.teens (Usenet):
- Aw bless... have white chocolate fudge muffin....a new batch.... made them last night after Nigella.... - 2001, Will, “Am I still here?”, in uk.religion.pagan (Usenet):

Origin

An ellipsis for an expression such as bless your heart.

Verb

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.
- A Pſalme of Dauid. Bleſſe the Lord, O my ſoule: and all that is within me, bleſſe his holy Name. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 103:1, column 2:
To esteem or account happy; to felicitate.
- 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. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version),...
To make the sign of the cross upon, so as to sanctify.
- the archbishop vsing certeine praiers, blessed the king - 1577, Raphaell Holinshed, The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande […], volume I, London: […] [Henry Bynneman] for Iohn Harrison,...
To wave; to brandish.
- And burning blades about their heads do blesse. - 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto V”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 6:
- Round his armed head his trenchant blade he blest. - 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....
To turn (a reference) into an object.
To secure, defend, or prevent from.
- Bless me from marrying a usurer. - c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
- To bleſs the dores from nightly harm - a. 1645, John Milton, “Il Penseroso”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC, page 40:
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?
- Ahlie fam ¶ Do u have grabba? ¶ Bless me a change for the ttc - 2021 April 13, u/saltymotherfker, “Popular male in a Toronto high school starterpack”, in Reddit, r/starterpacks, archived from the original on 03 Dec 2023:
To approve of or assent to.
- After those modifications, the Board blessed the reorganization plan.
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)
- You should bless your relatives, because they arrived here already.

Origin

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.

bless

Interjection

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Verb

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Derived