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What does it mean when a British person says bless?
exclamation. /bles/ /bles/ (British English, sometimes humorous) used to show warm feelings for somebody because of something they have done.
What does it mean when you say bless?
1 —used in speech to express thanks or good wishes “I’ll be happy to help in any way I can.” “Oh, bless you! That’s very kind of you.” 2 —said to someone who has just sneezed.
How do you respond to bless you?
If you accept a “bless you,” then it’s easy to respond appropriately: Say “yes,” or “yes, thank you,” or just “thanks.” Or signal yes — nod your head, or wink your eye, or simply smile.
Why shouldn’t you say bless you?
When people don’t say bless you, we begin to suspect they don’t care about our well-being. As etiquette columnist Miss Manners once observed, it’s considered more rude for people getting hit with snot shrapnel to bypass the bless you than it is for the person detonating the germ bombs to fail to say excuse me.
Do the English say bless you?
In English-speaking countries, the common verbal response to another person’s sneeze is “bless you”, or, less commonly in the United States and Canada, “Gesundheit”, the German word for health (and the response to sneezing in German-speaking countries).
Does everyone say bless you?
“Saying ‘God bless you’ following a sneeze is a common refrain, so common and taught from childhood that many people don’t even think of it as a blessing, but rather as an utterance without specific meaning other than a response to a sneeze that is polite in some way,” said Dr. Gail Saltz, an associate professor of …
Is Bless her heart an insult?
The phrase has multiple meanings. It may be used to express genuine sympathy or as a precursor to an insult to soften the blow. However, it may also be used in an insulting way meaning “you are dumb or otherwise impaired, but you can’t help it” by individuals who wish to “be sweet” and do not wish to “act ugly”.
How do you bless someone?
12 Frugal Ways to Be a Blessing to Others
- Share some homemade goodies (or cheat and buy some!)
- Babysit for a young family.
- Give fresh flowers.
- Share a smile.
- Send an encouraging text message.
- Share a word of encouragement.
- Ask someone about their day and really listen.
- Take someone a meal.
Is it offensive to say bless you?
Why do say bless you?
One of the symptoms of the plague was coughing and sneezing, and it is believed that Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great) suggested saying “God bless you” after a person sneezed in hopes that this prayer would protect them from an otherwise certain death. The expression may have also originated from superstition.
Is Bless your heart a compliment?
“Bless your heart” is a phrase that is common in the Southern United States. The phrase has multiple meanings. It may be used to express genuine sympathy or as a precursor to an insult to soften the blow.
How do you respond to bless your heart?
Bless His/Her Heart Usually, if the phrase is uttered to you in conversation about someone not present—or present, but out of earshot—the appropriate response is a smile, and perhaps a chuckle if you agree.