Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Highly favored or fortunate (as e.g., by divine grace): The word "blest" describes a state of being granted special favor, happiness, or good fortune, often with a connotation of divine blessing or spiritual approval.
   • Made holy or consecrated: It can also refer to something that has been sanctified or declared sacred.

Usage Notes

"Blest" is an archaic or poetic variant of the more common past tense and past participle form "blessed" (pronounced /blɛst/). It is used in the same grammatical contexts as "blessed" but is less frequent in modern everyday English, often found in religious texts, hymns, poetry, or formal/literary contexts to convey a sense of reverence or antiquity.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • They lived in a blest and peaceful valley. (They lived in a highly favored and peaceful valley.)
  • She felt truly blest with such a wonderful family. (She felt truly fortunate to have such a wonderful family.)
  • The blest sacrament was placed on the altar. (The consecrated sacrament was placed on the altar.)

Advanced Usage

• "To be blest with": To be endowed with or fortunate to possess (a desirable quality or thing).
  • He is blest with remarkable talent. (He is endowed with remarkable talent.)
• Used in set phrases or exclamations for emphasis or emotion.
  • Well, I'm blest! I never expected to see you here. (An expression of great surprise.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bless (verb): To confer or invoke divine favor upon; to make holy.
  • The priest will bless the new building.
• Blessed (adjective, past participle): The standard modern form. Can be pronounced as one syllable (/blɛst/) like "blest" or as two syllables (/ˈblɛs.ɪd/).
  • A blessed event. (A happy event, like the birth of a child.)
• Blessing (noun): A beneficial thing for which one is grateful; the act of pronouncing a blessing.
  • Good health is a great blessing.

Synonyms

• Fortunate: Having good luck.
• Favored: Treated with special kindness.
• Consecrated: Made or declared sacred.
• Hallowed: Honored as holy.

Antonyms

• Cursed: Under a curse; afflicted.
• Unfortunate: Not lucky; having bad luck.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• (I'm) blest if I know/do, etc.: An emphatic way of saying one does not know or will not do something. (Note: This idiom almost always uses the form "blest" for this specific emphatic negation, not "blessed".)
  • I'm blest if I can understand this puzzle. (I absolutely cannot understand this puzzle.)
• To be blest with: As shown in Advanced Usage.
• A blest relief: A great and welcome relief.
  • The cool breeze was a blest relief from the heat.

Adjective

1. highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace)
   • our blessed land
   • the blessed assurance of a steady income