blood
blood
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "blood" is /blʌd/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds in each syllable:
blood: /bl/ (consonant cluster) + /ʌ/ (vowel) + /d/ (consonant)
Word Form Variations
Noun:
Singular: blood
Plural: blood (uncountable noun, so no plural form in the traditional sense, though "bloods" can be used in very specific, often informal, contexts referring to different types or samples of blood, or historically, people of a certain lineage. However, for general use, "blood" remains singular.)
Verb:
Base form: blood
Past simple: blooded
Past participle: blooded
Present participle: blooding
Third-person singular present: bloods
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition: The red fluid circulating in the arteries and veins of humans and other vertebrate animals, carrying oxygen and nutrients to and waste products away from the body tissues.
Synonyms: gore, vital fluid, ichor (poetic/mythological)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; concepts like "lack of blood" or "anemia" describe a state, not an opposite substance.)
Definition: Kinship or lineage; descent from a common ancestor.
Synonyms: ancestry, lineage, parentage, family, extraction, stock, heritage
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; concepts like "unrelated" or "non-familial" describe a state, not an opposite lineage.)
Definition: Temperament, passion, or spirit, especially in an intense or hot-headed way.
Synonyms: passion, spirit, temper, mettle, ardor, verve
Antonyms: apathy, indifference, calm, placidness
Verb
Definition: To initiate someone into a particular activity or experience, especially one involving violence, hunting, or a significant challenge. (Often used in a past participle form "blooded.")
Example: "The young soldier was blooded in his first battle."
Synonyms: initiate, baptize (figurative), prime, introduce, accustom
Antonyms: withdraw, remove, inexperienced (as an adjective for the state of not being blooded)
Definition: To stain or mark with blood.
Example: "He accidentally blooded his shirt while dressing the wound."
Synonyms: stain, bespatter, crimson (if referring to the color)
Antonyms: clean, unmark, purify
Examples of Use
Books:
"He felt a chill trickle down his spine, a coldness that seemed to curdle the blood in his veins." (From A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, August 1996)
"The covenant of blood is stronger than the ties of water." (Often attributed to an old proverb, but notably used in various literary works exploring family bonds.)
Newspapers:
"Medical experts are urging more people to donate blood as supplies in hospitals dwindle." (The Guardian)
"Investigators are searching for blood samples at the crime scene to aid their forensic analysis." (The New York Times)
Online Publications:
"New research suggests a link between certain dietary habits and improved blood pressure control." (WebMD)
"Activists called for an end to the violence, stating that the streets were being stained with innocent blood." (Al Jazeera)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "There will be blood." (From the movie There Will Be Blood, December 2207)
Television Series: "She made a blood oath to protect her family, no matter the cost." (From House of the Dragon, Season 1, August 2022)
Music: "You got that red blood, red blood." (From the song "Bad Habits" by Ed Sheeran, June 2021)
Video Games: "Low blood! Need a medkit!" (Common dialogue in first-person shooter games, e.g., Call of Duty series)
General Public Discourse:
"They say a person's blood type can influence their personality, though there's little scientific evidence for it." (Heard in casual conversation)
"I've got good blood in me, I'm not afraid of a little hard work." (Expressing a sense of resilience or strong character)
"The new regulations are aimed at getting fresh blood into the company's leadership." (Referring to new, often younger, talent or ideas)
10 Quotes Using Blood
"The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb." (Proverb)
"What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? man delights not me: no, nor woman neither, though by your smiling you seem to say so. We are arrant knaves, all; believe none of us. Go thy ways to a nunnery. Where's your father? At home, my lord. Get thee to a nunnery, go: farewell. Or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them. To a nunnery, go, and quickly too. Farewell. No, they are not to be trusted. No, they are not to be trusted. No, they are not to be trusted." (William Shakespeare, Hamlet)
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." (Thomas Jefferson, November 13, 1787)
"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat." (Winston Churchill, May 13, 1940)
"A man of blood and iron." (Otto von Bismarck, September 30, 1862)
"All for one and one for all, united we stand divided we fall. For a thousand years and a thousand more. We fight to the last drop of blood." (Alexandre Dumas, The Three Musketeers)
"Out, damned spot! out, I say!—One; two: why, then ’tis time to do’t.—Hell is murky!—Fie, my lord, fie! a soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account?—Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?" (William Shakespeare, Macbeth)
"It's a blood sport, and you've got to be prepared to lose some blood." (Hillary Clinton, April 1, 2008)
"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance and a drop of blood for every step forward." (Attributed to various sources, often related to revolutionary struggles)
"There's no blood in the game until it's your own." (Often attributed to boxing or combat sports, emphasizing personal risk)
Etymology
The word "blood" has a very old and deep history, tracing its roots back thousands of years.
It comes from a prehistoric language called Proto-Indo-European (PIE), which is the ancestor of many European and Indian languages. The PIE root for "blood" was something like *h₁s-h₂er- or *h₁s-h₂r̥-. This root seems to have been connected to words meaning "red" or "flowing."
From this PIE root, the word evolved through different stages:
Proto-Germanic: It became *blōþą in Proto-Germanic, the ancestor of English, German, and other Germanic languages. This is where we start to see a form very close to our modern "blood."
Old English: In Old English (the form of English spoken before 1066), it was "blōd."
The first known use and meaning of the word, going back to its Old English form "blōd," was essentially the same as our primary understanding today: the red fluid that circulates in the bodies of animals and humans. It has always been associated with life, vitality, kinship, and death, reflecting its fundamental role in biology and human experience.
Over time, it developed the extended meanings we discussed earlier, like kinship, temperament, or even the act of "blooding" (initiating someone), but the core meaning of the vital red fluid has been present from its earliest recorded uses.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Blood
Bad blood: Ill feeling or animosity between people or groups.
In cold blood: Done without emotion or mercy; deliberately and cruelly.
Blood is thicker than water: Family loyalties are stronger than other relationships.
Make one's blood boil: To make someone extremely angry.
New blood: New members in a group or organization, especially ones who bring fresh ideas or energy.
Sweat blood: To work extremely hard.
Blood, sweat, and tears: Very hard work and effort.
To get blood from a stone: To try to obtain something from someone who is very unwilling to give it.
In one's blood: A natural or inherent part of someone's character or family.
To draw blood: To cause a wound that bleeds, or figuratively, to cause harm or make an effective point in an argument.
Blood money: Money paid to a killer or for betraying someone; compensation for a death.
First blood: The first point or advantage gained in a contest.
Blood sport: A sport involving the shedding of blood, especially by animals.
To have blood on one's hands: To be responsible for someone's death.
To taste blood: To achieve a first success and become eager for more.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of blood from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
