Bless Meaning
/blɛs/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
verbTo make something holy by religious rite, sanctify.
verbTo invoke divine favor upon.
Sentence Examples
Bless these little children.
May God bless you.
May God bless the country I was born in!
CEFR Practice Quiz
At the church service, the priest will ____ the congregation with holy water.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
May the heavens ____ you with good health and much happiness in life.
Word Origin & History
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.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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:
"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), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Jeremiah 4:2, column 1:
"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, →OCLC:
"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. […], London: […] Ar[nold] Hatfield, for I[saac] Iaggard and M[atthew] Lownes, →OCLC:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
At the church service, the priest will ____ the congregation with holy water.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
May the heavens ____ you with good health and much happiness in life.