a. Forms: 2–4 blisful(le, 4 -uolle, blysfol, 4–6 -ful, blesful(l, blesseful(l, 6 blisseful(l, blisfull, 7 blissfull, blessful, 3– blissful. [f. BLISS sb. + -FUL.]

1

  1.  Of persons: Full of bliss, joyful; happy or joyous in the highest degree.

2

a. 1240.  Sawles Warde, in Lamb. Hom., 259. Hu he sit blisful on his fader riht half.

3

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Frankel. T., 362. O blisful artow now thou Dorigen, That hast thy lusty housbonde in thyne Armes.

4

1388.  Wyclif, Eccles. iv. 3. Y demyde hym, that was not borun ȝit … to be blisfulere than euer eithir.

5

1646.  Crashaw, Steps Temp., 65. Let the blessful heart hold fast Her heavenly armful.

6

1863.  Tennyson, Welc. Alexandra, 27. Blissful bride of a blissful heir.

7

  2.  Of things: Full of or fraught with bliss.

8

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 77. Þe engel hire brohte þe blisfulle tidinge.

9

c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., 682. From that blisful our.

10

1589.  Greene, Menaph. (1616), 47. To turne my blissefull sweet to balefull sowre.

11

1667.  Milton, P. L., I. 5. Till one greater Man Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat.

12

1776.  Gibbon, Decl. & F., I. 205. To live with Ormusd in a blissful eternity.

13

1881.  Morley, Cobden, I. 14. All blessed by nature with a kind of blissful mercurial simplicity.

14

  † 3.  Blessed, beatified; sacred, holy. Obs.

15

a. 1225.  St. Marher., 21. Beo þu a iblescet and ti blisfule sune iesu crist.

16

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 8906. Þe lauerd of hele, þat blisful king.

17

1340.  Ayenb., 186. Þe blisuolle blode of Iesu Crist.

18

1496.  Dives & Paup., I. (W. de W.), liii. 93/2. Marye Magdaleyn anoynted the blysful fete of our lorde Ihesu.

19

1534.  Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), M iij b. It is ordeyned by the holy senate, by consente of blisfull men.

20

  † 4.  Glorified, transfigured; cf. BLISS sb.3 Obs.

21

1387.  [see BLISS sb. 3].

22

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VIII. xl. A bodi þat is blisfal [L. glorificatus]. Ibid., XIV. xliv. In toppe of þis mounte oure Lorde schewid him selfe blysful.

23

  † 5.  Having power to bless. Obs.

24

1598.  Florio, Dict., Ep. Ded. 4. Laie then your blisse-full handes on his head (right Honorable).

25