different between bless vs favour

English

Pronunciation

• enPR: bl?s, IPA^(key): /bl?s/
• Rhymes: -?s

Etymology 1

From Middle English blessen, from Old English bletsian (“to consecrate (with blood)”), from Proto-West Germanic *bl?dis?n (“to sprinkle, mark or hallow with blood”), from Proto-Germanic *bl?þ? (“blood”), of uncertain origin, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *b?leh?- (“to bloom”). Cognate with Old Norse bleza (“to bless”) (whence Icelandic blessa), Old English bl?dan (“to bleed”). More at bleed.

Verb

bless (third-person singular simple present blesses, present participle blessing, simple past and past participle blest or blessed)

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.
5. To esteem or account happy; to felicitate.
6. (obsolete) To wave; to brandish.
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.

Antonyms

• curse
• condemn
• (programming): unbless

Derived terms

• bless someone's cotton socks
• bless someone's heart

Related terms

• blessed
• blessing
• bleed
• blood

Translations

Etymology 2

An ellipsis for an expression such as bless your heart.

Interjection

bless

1. (Britain, 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....

Anagrams

• ESBLs, slebs

Icelandic

Interjection

bless

1. goodbye, bye

Synonyms

• bless bless

Westrobothnian

Etymology

Compare Danish blis, Swedish bläs, Old Norse blys, blesóttr.

Noun

bless

1. mask

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?fe?.v?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?fe?.v?/
• Rhymes: -e?v?(?)
• Hyphenation: fa?vour

Noun

favour (countable and uncountable, plural favours)

1. (British spelling) Standard spelling of favor.

Derived terms

• out of favour

Translations

Verb

favour (third-person singular simple present favours, present participle favouring, simple past and past participle favoured)

1. (British spelling) Standard spelling of favor.
   • 1611, KJV, Luke 1:28:

     "And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." —

Usage notes

• Favour is the standard British and Commonwealth spelling. Favor is the standard American spelling, and an alternative in Canada.

Translations

Old French

Noun

favour f (oblique plural favours, nominative singular favour, nominative plural favours)

1. Late Anglo-Norman spelling of favor