blood
B1Neutral to formal; can be technical in medical contexts, informal/vulgar in expressions of anger.
Definition
Meaning
The red liquid that flows through the bodies of humans and animals, carrying oxygen and nutrients.
Family relationship, ancestry, or lineage; also used to refer to violence, injury, or intense emotion.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word bridges concrete (biological fluid) and abstract (kinship, temperament) domains. Its use in idioms often conveys intensity, violence, or deep connection.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. 'Bloody' as an intensifier/swear word is more strongly associated with British English. The phrase 'blood pudding' is British; 'blood sausage' is more common in American English.
Connotations
Similar core connotations. 'Bloody' as a mild expletive is quintessentially British (though understood in AmE).
Frequency
Comparably frequent. Slight preference for 'blood type' (AmE) vs 'blood group' (BrE), though both are understood.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
N of blood (a drop of blood)V blood (to draw blood)blood + N (blood donor)Adj + blood (bad blood)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “in cold blood”
- “bad blood”
- “blood is thicker than water”
- “make one's blood boil”
- “blood, sweat, and tears”
- “new blood”
- “out for blood”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Metaphorical: 'We need new blood in the marketing department.' (new people/ideas)
Academic
Biological/medical: 'The study analysed blood serum samples.' Historical/sociological: 'The concept of blue blood in aristocracy.'
Everyday
Literal: 'I cut my finger and it's bleeding.' Figurative: 'They're my blood, I have to help them.' (family)
Technical
Medical: 'Haemoglobin levels in the blood were measured.' Legal: 'The crime was committed in cold blood.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The hounds were blooded on their first hunt.
- The young boxer bloodied his opponent's nose.
American English
- The rookie was blooded in his first major game.
- He bloodied his knuckles on the rough wall.
adverb
British English
- It's bloody raining again!
- That was bloody brilliant!
American English
- (Less common) It's bloody hot out today!
- He ran bloody fast.
adjective
British English
- It was a bloody difficult exam.
- They're my blood relatives.
American English
- That was a bloody mess to clean up.
- She has a blood connection to the founder.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The nurse took a little blood from my arm.
- I don't like the sight of blood.
- We have the same blood type.
- There's been bad blood between those two families for years.
- High blood pressure can be dangerous.
- He's my uncle by blood, not by marriage.
- The documentary showed the blood sports still practised in some regions.
- The revolution was born of the blood, sweat, and tears of the common people.
- The new CEO is determined to inject some new blood into the company's strategy.
- The murder was carried out in cold blood, with no apparent motive.
- His veins coursed with the blue blood of ancient aristocracy.
- The politician's inflammatory speech made the blood of every peace activist boil.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the word 'flood' – a flood of RED liquid = BLOOD. Both have a similar 'uh' sound in the middle.
Conceptual Metaphor
BLOOD IS A LIQUID (flow, spill, drain); BLOOD IS FAMILY/KINSHIP (ties, relations); BLOOD IS LIFE/ESSENCE (lifeblood, in one's blood); BLOOD IS EMOTION (boiling, running cold).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'bad blood' as 'плохая кровь'. It means 'вражда' or 'неприязнь'.
- The idiom 'in cold blood' does not relate to temperature ('холоднокровно' is close, but 'хладнокровно' is better).
- 'Blood type' is 'группа крови', not 'тип крови' (though understood).
- The adjective 'bloody' as an intensifier ('bloody hell!') has no direct Russian equivalent; it's a stylistic marker, not a meaning.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect article: 'He is a blood donor.' (correct) vs 'He is blood donor.' (incorrect).
- Confusing 'blood' with 'bleed' (verb). 'The cut will blood' is wrong; 'The cut will bleed' is correct.
- Overusing 'bloody' as a swear word in formal/international contexts.
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'blood is thicker than water' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily uncountable (e.g., 'There's blood on your shirt.'). It can be countable in medical/technical contexts referring to types or samples (e.g., 'different bloods were tested').
They are synonyms. 'Blood type' is more common in American English, while 'blood group' is more common in British English, though both are understood globally.
In British English, it's a mild swear word/intensifier, considered informal and somewhat old-fashioned. It's rarely used in American English outside of imitating British speech and is not generally considered highly offensive.
Yes, but it's rare and specific. It means to cause someone to experience their first fight or combat, or to stain with blood (often as 'bloodied'). E.g., 'The young soldier was blooded in the battle.'
Collections
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