a. [f. BLOOD sb. + -LESS.]
1. Without blood; hence, lifeless; also fig.
a. 1225. St. Marher., 18. Blodles ant banles, dumbe ant deaue.
1552. Huloet, Bloudles, or wythout bloude.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., I. ii. 7. Thou bloodlesse Remnant of that Royall Blood.
1658. A. Fox, Würtz’ Surg., III. xiii. 256. These things … do befall wounds, exiccated by the Suns heat … insomuch that they are left bloudless.
1881. Internat. Rev., XI. 76. A slave to a dry and bloodless system.
b. Pale from a diminished supply of blood to the surface of the body; pallid.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 1037. Overcome by doubt and bloodless fear. Ibid. (1593), 2 Hen. VI., III. ii. 162. A timely-parted Ghost, Of ashy semblance, meager, pale and bloodlesse.
1718. Pope, Iliad, XIII. 365. He stands … a bloodless image of despair.
1871. Palgrave, Lyr. Poems, 45. She knotted her hands behind her In a knot of bloodless gray.
2. Not attended with bloodshed.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., II. v. 117. Silence like a Lucresse knife: With bloodiesse stroke my heart doth gore.
1604. Hieron, Wks., I. 569. How can a masse a pardon bring, Sith ’tis a bloud-lesse offering?
1858. Froude, Hist. Eng., III. xiii. 119. A bloodless victory.
Hence Bloodlessly adv., Bloodlessness.
1820. Byron, Mar. Fal., V. iii. 48. She … Shall … bloodlessly and basely yield Unto a bastard Attila.
1863. Le Fanu, House by Churchy. (ed. 2), III. 174. He … screwed up his mouth with a convulsive grimace, glaring bloodlessly at the Justice.
1883. Miss Braddon, Gold. Calf, xxviii. 329. Hands almost transparent in their bloodlessness.
