Bleed

v. Pa. t. and pple. bled. Forms: 1 b1édan, 3–5 blede (6 Sc. bleid, blead, bleth), 7 bleede, 6– bleed. Pa. t. 1 blédde, 2–5 bledde, 3 blede, 3–5 bledd, 7 bleeded, 3– bled. Pa. pple. 1–4 bléded, 7–8 bleeded, 5– bled. [OE. blédan:—OTeut. *blôdjan to bleed (whence also ON. blǽða, mod.G. bluten), f. OTeut. *blôdo(m BLOOD.]

  I.  intr.

  1.  To emit, discharge, or ‘lose’ blood; to drop, or run with, blood. Said of a person or animal, a part of the body, a wound, etc.

a. 1000.  Salomon & Sat., 144. Blédaþ ǽdran.

c. 1205.  Lay., 7523. Þat hæfed [hæfde, 1250 heued] bledde.

c. 1300.  K. Alisaunder, 5845. His woundes bledden.

1460.  Capgrave, Chron. (1858), 162. Thei … founde the Prince bledying, and the Sarasine ded.

1596.  Shaks., Merch. V., IV. i. 258. To stop his wounds, least he should bleede to death.

1607.  Dekker, Wh. Babylon, Wks. 1873, II. 264. They are no common droppes when Princes bleede.

1658.  A. Fox, Würtz’ Surg., V. 353. The wound bleeded vehemently.

a. 1715.  Burnet, Own Time (1766), II. 217. He fell a bleeding at the nose.

1828.  Scott, Tales Grandf., Ser. II. xxxvii. 153/1. Bleeding to death from the loss of his right hand.

  b.  The body of a murdered man was supposed to bleed afresh when the murderer approached, and thus to reveal his guilt: hence, of a crime: to bleed = to come to light (obs.).

[1591.  Murder Ld. Bourgh (Collier), 10. Wherunto he was no sooner approched … but his wounds bled more freshlie then when they were first giuen; whereby the people in the house … made foorth to search, for surelie they supposed the murtherer was not farre off.

1628.  Earle, Microcosm., v. 13. His fear is, lest the carkass should bleed.]

c. 1645.  Howell, Lett. (1650), I. 31. The murdering of her Marquis of Ancre will yet bleed, as some fear.

  c.  The heart bleeds, used fig. to express great anguish, sorrow or pity. So to bleed inwardly.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Troylus, IV. Prol. 12. For whiche myn herte now right gynneth to blede.

1607.  Shaks., Timon, I. ii. 211. I bleed inwardly for my Lord. Ibid. (1610), Temp., I. ii. 63. O my heart bleedes To thinke oth’ teene that I haue turn’d you to.

1792.  Burke, Corr. (1844), IV. 24. My heart bleeds for the poor emigrants, whose case is truly deplorable.

1860.  Kingsley, Misc., II. 349. What heart would not bleed for a beautiful woman in trouble.

  2.  To lose blood from severe or fatal wounds; to be severely wounded in battle, or the like; to shed one’s blood or die by bloodshed.

a. 1300.  Havelok, 2403. Crist þat wolde on rode blede.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XIX. 103. So comsed ihesu, Tyl he had alle hem þat he fore bledde.

a. 1400.  Sir Isumb., 621. Wel a sevene score garte he blede.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 14044. He … þat bled for our Syn.

1601.  Shaks., Jul. C., II. i. 171. Cæsar must bleed for it.

1732.  Pope, Ess. Man, I. 81. The Lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to day.

1787.  J. Barlow, Oration 4th July, 10. Those who bled in so glorious a field.

1839.  Thirlwall, Greece, II. 349. Those who had fought and bled in the cause.

  fig.  1665.  Pepys, Diary, 1 April. The King’s service in the meantime lies a-bleeding.

  3.  Of plants: To emit sap when wounded.

1674.  Grew, Anat. Trunks, II. i. § 12. The Trunk or Branch of any Plant being cut, it always bleeds at both ends.

a. 1711.  Ken, Blandina, Poet. Wks. 1721, IV. 526.

1796.  C. Marshall, Gardening, xii. (1813), 160. Cutting branches or shoots in summer is apt to make them bleed as it is called.

  † 4.  ‘To lose blood medicinally’ (J.). Obs. (now, To be bled.)

1625.  Hart, Anat. Ur., II. iv. 73. I caused him bleed oftner then once.

1697.  J. D., in Tutchin, Search Honesty, A ij. Goe Bleed, use Hellebore, and shave thy head.

  5.  fig. a. Of corn, etc. To bleed well: to give a large yield. dial.

1641.  Best, Farm. Bks. (1856), 143. Att such times when corne bleedes not well.

1691.  Ray, N. C. Wds., 8. Corn Bleeds well; when upon threshing it yields well.

1786.  Har’st Rig, in Chambers, Pop. Sc. Poets, 51. It should bleed weel, and mak prime food Frae ’neath the flails.

1808.  in Jamieson.

  b.  Of persons: To lose or part with money to an extent that is felt; to have money drawn or extorted; to ‘pay through the nose’ for. colloq.

1668.  Dryden, Even. Love, IV. i. He is vehement, and bleeds on to fourscore or an hundred.

1680.  Cotton, in Singer, Hist. Cards, 337. They will purposely lose some small sum at first, that they may engage him the more freely to bleed (as they call it).

1751.  Smollett, Per. Pic., lxvi. To whom he was particularly agreeable, on account of his … bleeding freely at play.

1848.  Thackeray, Van. Fair, xiv. A City man, immensely rich, they say. Hang those City fellows, they must bleed.

1885.  Manchest. Even News, 23 June, 2/2. Men who give bills have to bleed for the accommodation.

  6.  Said of blood, etc.: To drop, flow, ooze forth.

c. 1305.  Song Mercy, in E. E. P. (1862), 120. Myn herte blood for þe gan blede.

1713.  Pope, Windsor For., 393. For me the balm shall bleed, and amber flow.

  b.  with away, into: To pass by bleeding.

1595.  Shaks., John, V. iv. 24. Retaining but a quantity of life, Which bleeds away, euen as a forme of waxe Resolueth from his figure ’gainst the fire.

1650.  Fuller, Pisgah, 401. This wound, whence so much precious wealth did bleed forth.

1865.  Bushnell, Vicar. Sacr., IV. ii. 517. If the good that is in him will get into men’s bosoms, it must bleed into them.

  7.  With cognate obj.: To emit as blood.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 16775. For þe mikel blod he bled.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XIX. 320. Of his blode þat he bledde on Rode.

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 233/3. Hys hede was al to brused and bledde moche blood.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 759. Roapy Gore, he from his Nostrils bleeds.

  b.  transf. of other liquids.

1611.  Shaks., Wint. T., V. ii. 96. Shee did (with an Alas) I would faine say, bleed Teares; for I am sure, my heart wept blood.

1667.  Milton, P. L., VI. 331. Nectarous humour … such as Celestial Spirits may bleed.

1763.  Churchill, Proph. Famine, Poems I. 119. And the grape bleed a nectar yet unknown.

1850.  B. Taylor, On Leav. Californ. (1866), 273. Thy tawny hills shall bleed their purple wine.

  8.  fig. To appear bleeding, to be as red as blood.

1833.  Browning, Pauline, 17. Her … lips which bleed Like a mountain berry.

  II.  trans.

  9.  To draw or let blood from, esp. surgically.

c. 1430.  Syr Tryam., 686. For at the justyng wolde y bene … My body for to blede.

c. 1500.  Spirit. Remed., in Halliwell, Nugæ Poeticæ, 67. For us thou letteste thy breste be bled.

1674.  R. Godfrey, Inj. & Ab. Physic, 102. Her Husband was Bleeded by an Apothecaries order.

1737.  Pope, Hor. Epist., II. ii. 197. That, from a patriot … Have bled and purg’d me to a simple vote.

1804.  Abernethy, Surg. Observ., 177. As he was perfectly well he was but slightly bled.

  10.  To draw or extort money from. colloq. Cf. 5 b.

1680.  Cotton, in Singer, Hist. Cards, 343. When they intend to bleed a coll to some purpose … they always fix half a score packs of cards before.

1849.  Thackeray, Pendennis, lxviii. By Jove, sir, you’ve bled that poor woman enough.

  11.  Naut. To bleed the buoys: to let the water out.

1833.  Marryat, P. Simple, vi. ‘And, Mr. Chucks, recollect this afternoon that you bleed all the buoys.’ Bleed the boys! thought I, what can that be for?

  12.  To make bloody, to smear with blood.

1634.  Malory’s Arthur (1816), I. 309. Sir Tristram he bled both the upper sheet, and the nether sheet, and pillows.