n. & v.
n. 1 a liquid, usually red and circulating in the arteries and veins of vertebrates, that carries oxygen to and carbon dioxide from the tissues of the body. 2 a corresponding fluid in invertebrates. 3 bloodshed, esp. killing. 4 passion, temperament. 5 race, descent, parentage (of the same blood). 6 a relationship; relations (own flesh and blood; blood is thicker than water). 7 a dandy; a man of fashion.
v.tr. 1 give (a hound) a first taste of blood. 2 initiate (a person) by experience. bad blood ill feeling. blood-and-thunder (attrib.) colloq. sensational, melodramatic. blood bank a place where supplies of blood or plasma for transfusion are stored. blood bath a massacre. blood-brother a brother by birth or by the ceremonial mingling of blood. blood count 1 the counting of the number of corpuscles in a specific amount of blood. 2 the number itself. blood-curdling horrifying. blood donor one who gives blood for transfusion. blood feud a feud between families involving killing or injury. blood group any one of the various types of human blood determining compatibility in transfusion. blood-heat the normal body temperature of a healthy human being, about 37 øC or 98.4 øF. blood horse a thoroughbred. one's blood is up one is in a fighting mood. blood-letting 1 the surgical removal of some of a patient's blood. 2 joc. bloodshed. blood-lust the desire for shedding blood. blood-money 1 money paid to the next of kin of a person who has been killed. 2 money paid to a hired murderer. 3 money paid for information about a murder or murderer. blood orange an orange with red or red-streaked pulp. blood-poisoning a diseased state caused by the presence of micro-organisms in the blood. blood pressure the pressure of the blood in the circulatory system, often measured for diagnosis since it is closely related to the force and rate of the heartbeat and the diameter and elasticity of the arterial walls. blood-red red as blood. blood relation (or relative) a relative by blood, not by marriage. blood royal the royal family. blood serum see SERUM. blood sport sport involving the wounding or killing of animals, esp. hunting. blood sugar the amount of glucose in the blood. blood test a scientific examination of blood, esp. for diagnosis. blood transfusion the injection of a volume of blood, previously taken from a healthy person, into a patient. blood-vessel a vein, artery, or capillary carrying blood. blood-wort any of various plants having red roots or leaves, esp. the red-veined dock. first blood 1 the first shedding of blood, esp. in boxing. 2 the first point gained in a contest etc. in one's blood inherent in one's character. make one's blood boil infuriate one. make one's blood run cold horrify one. new (or fresh) blood new members admitted to a group, esp. as an invigorating force. of the blood royal. out for a person's blood set on getting revenge. taste blood be stimulated by an early success. young blood 1 a younger member or members of a group. 2 a rake or fashionable young man.
[ OE blod f. Gmc ]