bloody
bloody Lexical Profile
bloody Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Covered, smeared, or stained with blood; bleeding.
"The hiker wrapped a clean bandage around his bloody knee after slipping on the rocks."
Involving or characterized by severe violence, cruelty, or heavy loss of life.
"The historian wrote a detailed account of the bloody conflict that reshaped the region."
British Used as an informal intensifier to express anger, annoyance, shock, or strong emphasis.
"He refused to wait another bloody minute for the delayed train."
• adverb
British Used informally as an intensifier meaning 'very', 'extremely', or 'at all'.
"She told him that the weather outside was bloody cold."
• verb
To stain, smear, or cover with blood, or to cause someone to bleed (often used figuratively to mean inflicting a setback or defeat).
"The challenger managed to bloody the champion's nose in the opening round of the boxing match."
Word Nuance & Usage
While globally standard in its literal sense ('covered in blood'), 'bloody' functions in British, Australian, and New Zealand English as an informal intensifier or mild expletive that is generally inappropriate in formal writing.
• Rhymes for bloody
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'blōdig', formed from 'blōd' ('blood') and the adjective suffix '-ig' ('-y'). Its British colloquial use as an intensifier emerged in the late 17th century, likely from aristocratic slang rather than the popular folk etymology linking it to the religious oath 'by Our Lady'.