adj., adv., & v.
--adj. (bloodier, bloodiest)
1. a of or like blood. b running or smeared with blood (bloody bandage).
2 a involving, loving, or resulting from bloodshed (bloody battle). b sanguinary; cruel (bloody butcher).
3 coarse sl. expressing annoyance or antipathy, or as an intensive (a bloody shame; a bloody sight better; not a bloody chocolate left).
4 red.
--adv. coarse sl. as an intensive (a bloody good job; I'll bloody thump him).
--v.tr. (-ies, -ied) make bloody; stain with blood.
Phrases and idioms:
bloody hand Heraldry the armorial device of a baronet. Bloody Mary a drink composed of vodka and tomato juice. bloody-minded colloq. deliberately uncooperative. bloody-mindedly colloq. in a perverse or uncooperative manner. bloody-mindedness colloq. perversity, contrariness.
Derivatives:
bloodily adv. bloodiness n.
Etymology: OE blodig (as BLOOD, -Y(1))