bless
/blɛs
/- Against this barren background, James blesses those who endure temptation with the following famous words.
- She led them into battle where they achieved martyrdom and were blessed by Guru Gobind Singh.
- He touched lepers, forgave sinners, blessed the poor and consorted with tax collectors.
Synonyms
- Even they can bless God for the natural delights of this life.
- With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude likeness of God.
Synonyms
- The Lord blessed Tommy with many special attributes, among them a unique stubbornness, a special form of loving, confident arrogance, a quaint sense of humor and an unconditional love for all.
- The Screening God is one of the most important Gods as he is blessed with the power to see who is worthy of becoming a god, an angel, or thrown back down to earth.
- I didn't know then that you were blessed with such power.
Synonyms
- We'll always thank and bless him for Doolittle and Surfer Rosa, but the new is pretty good.
- Cook writes that among her files were found dozens of letters from the wives and families of the wounded or dead men, thanking and blessing her and addressing her as Darling Mother.
- I laughed and finally managed to pull my gaze away, silently blessing him for breaking the tension.
Synonyms
- After a moment she lifts her right hand to her forehead and blesses herself, hard.
- Everytime she left the house she blessed herself with holy water, even if only going to the well.
- To begin with, when you first come into church, bless yourself with holy water.
- Of course, there are always a few kids who have never heard of Crossfire, bless their innocent little souls.
- After the customer paid, Zak said to him, ‘Thanks, and God bless you!’
- ‘God bless you!’ she said, and she waved her flag as they pulled forward through the intersection.
Phrases
bless you!
not have a penny to bless oneself with
Origin
Old English blēdsian, blētsian, based on blōd 'blood' (i.e. originally perhaps 'mark or consecrate with blood'). The meaning was influenced by its being used to translate Latin benedicere 'to praise, worship', and later by association with bliss.
Old English blēdsian, blētsian are perhaps based on blōd ‘blood’, the likely original semantic core being ‘mark or consecrate with blood’. The history is difficult to trace because there is no equivalent in other Germanic languages. The meaning was influenced by the word's use to translate Latin benedīcere ‘to praise’, ‘to worship’, and Greek eulogein meaning essentially ‘speak well of’; these in turn translated Hebrew brk ‘to bend’, in this case ‘bend the knee (in praise)’. There is therefore a series of rich associations, pagan, Jewish, and Christian, mixed together in the English words bless and blessing; there is also a later association with bliss.