bless

Meaning

Verb

• To make something holy by religious rite, sanctify.
• To make the sign of the cross upon, so as to sanctify.
• To invoke divine favor upon.
• To honor as holy, glorify; to extol for excellence.
• To esteem or account happy; to felicitate.
• To wave; to brandish.
• To turn (a reference) into an object.
• To secure, defend, or prevent from.

Related

Opposite words

• curse
• condemn
• unbless

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.
• An ellipsis for an expression such as bless someone's heart.