Obs. Forms: 1 blíðsian, blissian, -iʓan, 2 blissien, 3 bliscen, (blescien), Orm. blissenn, 3–4 bliss(en, 4 blesse. [OE. blíðsian, blissian = OS. blîdsean, blizzen, f. blíðs, bliss sb. Now blended in the verb BLESS.]
1. intr. To be blithe or glad, to rejoice.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past., xlix. 385. Bliðsa, cniht, on ðinum ʓioʓuðhade.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Luke xv. 9. Blyssiað mid me.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 360. Gif we þolieð mid him, we schulen bliscen mid him.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XII. 187. Wel may þe barne blisse [C. text blesse] þat hym to boke sette.
b. refl.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 33. Ne mei nan man … blissien him mid þisse wordle.
[a. 1225. Ancr. R., 358. Blescieð ou & gledieð.]
2. trans. To give joy or gladness to (orig. with dative); to gladden, make happy. (In 16–17th c. blended with bless.)
a. 1000. Hymns, vii. 34 (Gr.). Ðu engla God eallum blissast.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., To gladien, and to blissen us.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 12779 (Gött.). To blissen þaim vte of þair.
1594. Constable, Diana, VI. x. She stands wotlesse whom so much she blisseth.
1636. Fitz-Geffray, Holy Transport. (1881), 189. To thee, who com’st from heauen to blisse the earth.
