bless

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
bless/bles/

▶verb

• 1 consecrate or invoke divine favour upon (someone) by means of a religious rite.

  ■ call (God) holy; praise (God).

  ■ (bless oneself) archaic make the sign of the cross.

• 2 (bless someone with) endow someone with (a cherished thing or attribute).

• 3 used in expressions of surprise, endearment, etc.

– phrases
bless you! said to a person who has just sneezed. [from the phr. (may) God bless you.]

– origin OE blēdsian, blētsian, based on blōd ‘blood’ (orig. perh. ‘mark or consecrate with blood’).