bleed
BLEED
Bleed (verb) means to lose blood from an injury. Example: “His nose started to bleed after the fall.”
verb
1
To lose blood from an injury.
"His nose started to bleed after the fall."
"The wound bled through the bandage within an hour."
"Press firmly on the cut to stop it bleeding."
2
To drain someone or something of money or resources over time.
"The legal fees bled the family's savings dry."
"Rising costs are bleeding small businesses of their profits."
"Constant repairs on the old house bleed us of our money every winter."
3
Of colour or ink, to spread beyond its intended area.
"The red dye bled into the white fabric during the wash."
"Do not use wet paint, or the colours will bleed into each other."
"The ink bled through the thin paper onto the next page."
How to use bleed
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo lose blood, or by extension, to steadily lose money, resources, or colour.
Common pairings
bleed money
bleed to death
colours bleed
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Word forms
- Plural
- bleeds
- Third person singular
- bleeds
- Past tense
- bled
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
His nose started to _____ after the fall.
Etymology
From Old English "blēdan," derived from the word for blood — the same root also gives us "blood" itself.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for bleed
See all rhymes for bleed →Frequently asked questions
What does “bleed” mean?
The word “bleed” means to lose blood from an injury. In plain terms, to lose blood, or by extension, to steadily lose money, resources, or colour.
How do you pronounce “bleed”?
“Bleed” is pronounced BLEED (/ˈbliːd/ in IPA).
How do you use “bleed” in a sentence?
Here is “bleed” used in a sentence: “His nose started to bleed after the fall.”
What part of speech is “bleed”?
“Bleed” is a verb.
Where does the word “bleed” come from?
The word “bleed” comes from Old English. From Old English "blēdan," derived from the word for blood — the same root also gives us "blood" itself.
Is “bleed” a common word?
“Bleed” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “bleed” have?
“Bleed” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to lose blood from an injury.
What is the difference between bleed and hemorrhage?
Bleed is the general verb for losing blood from an injury, while hemorrhage usually refers to a severe or heavy loss of blood, often internal. Any hemorrhage involves bleeding, but not all bleeding counts as a hemorrhage.
What does it mean when a company is described as bleeding money?
When a company is bleeding money, it is steadily losing funds or resources over time, often faster than it can recover. This figurative use compares financial loss to blood loss from an injury.
Why do designers use the term bleed for printing?
In printing and design, bleed describes ink or color that extends past the intended edge of a page or image, either accidentally or deliberately to avoid white borders. It comes from the same idea of color spreading beyond its boundary, as in bleeding fabric dye.
Is bleed used as a noun as well as a verb?
Yes, though the core dictionary sense here is verbal, bleed is commonly used as a noun in printing ("add 3mm of bleed") and informally for financial drain. Context usually makes clear which sense is meant.
