bless

Meaning

Verb

1. To make something holy by religious rite, sanctify.
2. To invoke divine favor upon.
3. To honor as holy, glorify; to extol for excellence.
4. To esteem or account happy; to felicitate.
5. To make the sign of the cross upon, so as to sanctify.
6. (obsolete) To wave; to brandish.
7. (transitive) To turn (a reference) into an object.
8. (archaic) To secure, defend, or prevent from.
9. (slang) To give or send.
10. (transitive) To approve of or assent to.
11. (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)

Intj

Used as an expression of endearment, gratitude, or (ironically) belittlement.

Synonyms

sanctify

consecrate

praise

thank

hallow

give one’s blessing

commend

congratulate

be blessed

celebrate

adore

favour

worship

pray

🛐

help

make holy

protect

sign

felicitate

wish well

judge

🧑‍⚖️

kiss

😗

like

ordain

pray for

purify

recompense

refresh

right

salute

save

shade

toasts

wish

eulogise

make happy

sain

treat well

cleanse ritually

show mercy to

bestow a blessing on

give a blessing

give best wishes for success

wish one success

acknowledge

eulogise eulogize

admire

applaud

approve

blood

🩸

Translations

bénir

bendecir

benedire

segnen

zegenen

abençoar

ευλογώ

beneir

benedeien

wijden

inzegenen

bendizer

santificare

بارك

Pronounced as (IPA)

/blɛs/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: blessen

Inherited from Old English: bletsian

Cognate with Old Norse: bleza

Cognate with Icelandic: blessa

Cognate with Old English: blēdan

In summary

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.