Bleed

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈbliːd/
• Rhymes: -iːd

Origin

From Old English blēdan, from Proto-Germanic *blōþijaną ("to bleed"), from Proto-Germanic *blōþą ("blood"). Compare West Frisian bliede, Dutch bloeden, German bluten, Danish bløde, Swedish blöda.

Full definition of bleed

Verb

1. (intransitive, of an animal) To lose blood through an injured blood vessel.If her nose bleeds try to use ice.
2. (transitive) To let or draw blood from an animal.
3. (transitive) To take large amounts of money from.
4. (transitive) To steadily lose (something vital).The company was bleeding talent.
5. (intransitive, of an ink or dye) To spread from the intended location and stain the surrounding cloth or paper.
6. (transitive) To remove air bubbles from a pipe containing fluids.
7. (obsolete, transitive) To bleed on; to make bloody.
• 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book VIII:And so Sir Trystrames bledde bothe the over-shete and the neyther-shete, and the pylowes and the hede-shete.
8. (intransitive, copulative) To show one's group loyalty by showing (its associated color) in one's blood.He was a devoted Vikings fan: he bled purple.
9. To lose sap, gum, or juice.A tree or a vine bleeds when tapped or wounded.
10. To issue forth, or drop, like blood from an incision.
• Alexander PopeFor me the balm shall bleed.
11. (phonology, transitive, of a phonological rule) To destroy the environment where another phonological rule would have applied.Labialization bleeds palatalization.

Derived terms

• bleed dry
• bleeder
• bleeding heart
• bleed out
• bleed to death
• bleed white

Noun

1. An incident of bleeding, as in haemophilia.
2. In printing (1): a narrow edge around a page layout, to be printed but cut off afterwards (added to allow for slight misalignment, especially with pictures that should run to the edge of the finished sheet).