bless
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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. Equivalent to blood + -se.
bless (third-person singular simple present blesses, present participle blessing, simple past and past participle blest or blessed)
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An ellipsis for an expression such as bless your heart.
bless
Presumably a clipping related to the greeting vertu blessaður (literally “be blessed”), compare English God bless.
bless