bless

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to give a benediction to

   The priest blessed the family.

2. 2
   verb

   to render holy by means of religious rites

   I blessed the meal.

3. 3
   verb

   to make the sign of the cross over someone in order to call on God for protection

   The religious leader blessed us.

4. 4
   verb

   to confer prosperity or happiness on

   Bless you, my child.

5. 5
   verb

   To invoke divine favor upon.

   In some countries, priests bless farm animals on St. Anthony's Day.

6. 6
   verb

   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.

7. 7
   verb

   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.

8. 8
   verb

   To make the sign of the cross upon, so as to sanctify.

   the archbishop vsing certeine praiers, blessed the king

Etymology

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.