verb / noun
bleed
BLEED/bliːd/
To let blood escape from the body.
The small cut on the woman's finger begins to bleed.
Etymology
Old English bledan could mean both emitting blood and causing someone to lose it, including through bloodletting. The selected meaning continues the first use: blood leaving the body.
In context
When the human body is cut, blood vessels beneath the skin are damaged and we bleed.
More examples
- The red dye bled into the white fabric.
- The printer asks for a three-millimeter bleed beyond the trim line.
- The clinic recorded a minor bleed after the procedure.
Forms
bleed · bleeds · bled · bleeding
Similar words
- hemorrhage
- Usually suggests substantial bleeding rather than any blood loss.
- leak
- Applies broadly to unintended escape of fluids or information.