• enPR: blĕs, IPA: /blɛs/

bless (blesses, present participle blessing; past and past participle blest)

1. To make something holy by religious rite, sanctify.
2. To make the sign of the cross upon, so as to sanctify.
3. To invoke divine favor upon.
4. To honor as holy, glorify; to extol for excellence.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Psalms 103:1 ↗:

     Blesse the Lord, O my soule: and all that is within me, blesse his holy Name.

5. To esteem or account happy; to felicitate.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Jeremiah 4:2 ↗:

     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.

6. (obsolete) To wave; to brandish.

   • And burning blades about their heads do bless.

   • Round his armed head his trenchant blade he blest.

7. (Perl programming, transitive, past tense only blessed) To turn (a reference) into an object.
8. (archaic, with from) To secure, defend, or prevent from.
   • c. 1610–1611, William Shakespeare, “The VVinters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act IV, scene iv]:

     Bless me from marrying a usurer.

   • a. 1645, John Milton, “Il Penseroso”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […] , London: Printed by Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Moſely,  […], published 1645, OCLC 606951673 ↗, page 40 ↗:

     To bleſs the dores from nightly harm

• curse
• condemn
• (programming) unbless

• blessed
• blessing
• bleed
• blood

• French: bénir
• German: segnen, (obsolete) benedeien
• Italian: benedire
• Portuguese: abençoar, bendizer, benzer
• Russian: благословля́ть
• Spanish: bendecir

1. (UK, Canada, informal) Used as an expression of endearment, gratitude, or (ironically) belittlement.
   • 1998, "Peter Coffey", New Alternative View Of Atomic Structure, sci.chem, Usenet:

     Ah bless! You must be the welcoming committee for anyone who dares express ignorance.

   • 2000, "Hellraiser", a post in uk.people.teens, Usenet:

     oh bless. *hug* that is not true. nobody here bears a grudge against 13 year old dear or against you.

   • 2001, "Will", Am I still here?, uk.religion.pagan, Usenet:

     Aw bless... have white chocolate fudge muffin....a new batch.... made them last night after Nigella....