blood

BLUD/blʌd/

Pluralbloods

16 meanings of blood

Practice

1
body fluidnouncountable or uncountable
The red liquid that moves around your body carrying oxygen, including blood lost during a period.
Like a river inside the body that carries food and air to where they are needed.
She cut her finger and a drop of blood appeared.
Blood carries oxygen to every part of your body.
UsageSay a drop of blood or a lot of blood.
Note
2
lab samplenouncolloquialcountable
A small amount of a person's blood taken for testing, or the test done on it.
The nurse took bloods and sent them to the lab.
The nurse will take some bloods before you see the doctor.
UsageUsually bloods: the nurse will take bloods.
Note
3
killingnounfigurativelycountable or uncountable
The killing or wounding of people, especially in fighting or war.
Years of blood finally gave way to an uneasy peace.
The angry crowd wanted blood after the attack.
UsageOften out for blood: wanting to hurt someone.
Similarbloodshed, slaughter, carnage, killing
Note
4
birth tiesnouncountable or uncountable
A family connection that comes from birth, not from marriage or adoption, as in related by blood.
Like a thread that ties family members together because they were born into the same family.
The two cousins are connected by blood.
He is my brother by marriage, not by blood.
Similardescent, heritage, stock
Note
5
passionsnouncountable or uncountable
A person's mood or temper, especially when feeling strong emotion.
Like a fire inside you that flares up when you get angry.
His blood was up after the insult.
She felt the hot blood of anger rising.
UsageHis blood was up means he was angry or excited.
Similartemper, temperament, spirit, passion
Note

Less common meanings

6
noununcountable
New or young people who join a group and are wanted for their energy or new ideas.
Our soccer club really needs some new blood this year.
The band added two young singers to bring in fresh blood.
UsageSay new blood or fresh blood.
Similartalent
7
verbUKtransitivebritish
To let a new person, often a young player, take part in a real game or event for the first time.
The coach wants to blood a few young players in Saturday's match.
She was blooded in the first team at just seventeen.
UsageA coach bloods a young player; the player is blooded.
Similarinitiate
Note
8
smear redverbraretransitive
To make something become covered or stained with blood.
Similarbloody
9
friend (slang)nounslangcountable or uncountable
Slang for a friend, often used when talking to them, as in 'Easy, blood'.
Like calling a close friend 'bro' or 'buddy'.
Wait up, blood, I'm walking home with you.
You alright, blood? You look really tired today.
Similarbro, bruv, fam, mate, homie
Note
10
first kill riteverbtransitive
To welcome someone into hunting or war for the first time, often by marking them with blood from the kill.
Tradition says you must blood a young hunter at his first kill.
The master of the hunt blooded the children at dawn.
Similarinitiate
11
drain (medicine)verbarchaichistoricaltransitive
To take blood out of a sick person's body, as doctors did in the past.
On Sᵗ Stephens day the Farrier came constantly and blouded all the Cart-horses.
1687, John Aubrey, Remaines of Gentilisme and JudaismeHere, blouded means took blood out of the horses to treat them.
Mr Western, who imputed these symptoms in his daughter to her fall, advised her to be presently blooded by way of prevention.
1749, Henry Fielding, Tom JonesHere, blooded means to have some blood taken out as a medical treatment.
Similarbleed
Note
12
medieval humornounhistoricalcountable or uncountable
In old medicine, one of the four liquids people believed controlled health and mood.
Long ago, doctors believed too much blood made a person act without thinking.
Old doctors believed that blood, one of the four humors, made people cheerful.
Note
13
verbobsoletetransitive
To make people angry and ready to fight an enemy.
Note
14
dandynounobsoletecountable or uncountable
A young man who loved fine clothes, parties, and showing off.
Similardandy, beau, fop, gallant, dude
Note
15
noun
A horse that comes from a family of fine, fast horses.
16
noun
In writing, the juice or sap of a plant or fruit, as in 'the blood of the grape'.

More uses

new bloodnew people who bring fresh energy or ideas to a group

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of blood apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Old English blōd, from older Germanic words for blood. It may come from an ancient root meaning "to swell," giving the idea of "that which bursts out."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

English blood descends from Old English blōd. iecor.clld.org
Old English blōd descends from an older Germanic word for blood. en.wiktionary.org
The word may ultimately derive from an ancient root meaning 'to swell'. iecor.clld.org
The proposed derivation conveys the idea of something bursting out. en.wiktionary.org