bloody

bloody — adjective

1. placed before a word to add strong feeling, especially annoyance, in British spe

1.adjectiveC2
Definition

placed before a word to add strong feeling, especially annoyance, in British speech that sounds rude to many listeners.

Example

The bloody bus left just as Ravi reached the stop.

bloody + noun for angry emphasis

Why did you hide my bloody keys before work, Hana?

Common collocations
  • bloody fool
  • bloody mess
  • bloody hot
  • bloody long
Synonyms
  • damn

    close in force, but common in both British and American English

  • really

    much weaker and not rude

  • so

    everyday emphasis without swearing

  • flipping

    a milder substitute used to avoid sounding offensive

Grammar Patterns

bloody + noun

bloody + adjective

Usage Note

Strongly associated with British English and often sounds rude, irritated, or aggressive. Distinguish from adjective/2 and adjective/3: this sense adds force to what you say instead of describing real blood or violence.

Common Mistakes

The meeting was bloody because everyone argued about lunch.
The meeting was heated because everyone argued about lunch.
Use this sense for rude emphasis in speech, not to describe ordinary disagreement.

2. having blood on it, or losing blood after a cut, injury, or attack.

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

having blood on it, or losing blood after a cut, injury, or attack.

Example

A bloody towel lay beside the sink after Zane lost a tooth.

bloody + object stained with blood

The nurse changed Mei's bloody bandage before the doctor arrived.

Common collocations
  • bloody bandage
  • bloody hand
  • bloody footprints
  • bloody towel
Synonyms
  • bloodstained

    usually describes something marked with dried or visible blood

  • bleeding

    used especially for a person or body part still losing blood

  • gory

    stronger and more graphic, often used for shocking scenes

Antonyms
  • clean

    not marked with blood or dirt

  • unstained

    more formal for having no marks on it

Grammar Patterns

bloody + body part

bloody + object

Usage Note

Often modifies concrete nouns such as hand, shirt, bandage, towel, knife, and footprints. Distinguish from adjective/3: this sense describes actual blood on a thing or body part, not a violent event as a whole.

Common Mistakes

I bought a bloody dress for the wedding.
I bought a red dress for the wedding.
This sense means stained with blood, not simply red in color.

3. full of killing and serious injury, so that blood and extreme violence are part

3.adjectiveC1
Definition

full of killing and serious injury, so that blood and extreme violence are part of the event.

Example

The film ends with a bloody fight in the hotel kitchen.

bloody + fight/battle/attack

Villagers remembered the bloody battle that destroyed the old bridge.

Common collocations
  • bloody battle
  • bloody attack
  • bloody fight
  • bloody revenge
Synonyms
  • gory

    focuses strongly on visible blood and shocking detail

  • violent

    broader and does not always imply blood

  • brutal

    stresses cruelty and harshness as well as violence

  • savage

    emphasizes wild or merciless force

Antonyms
  • peaceful

    without fighting or serious violence

  • bloodless

    without physical violence or killing

Grammar Patterns

bloody + battle/attack/fight

bloody + war/night/revenge

Usage Note

Common with nouns such as battle, war, attack, fight, and revenge. Distinguish from adjective/2: this sense describes an event, period, or story marked by violence, not a single object or wound with blood on it.

Common Mistakes

We had a bloody meeting about lunch.
We had a heated meeting about lunch.
Use this sense for real or extreme violence, not an ordinary argument.
Idioms

bloody well

idiom

It is used to make an angry statement or command stronger.

You can bloody well finish your homework before playing games.

If he doesn't like it, he can bloody well leave now.

bloody — verb

Word family

  • blood
    nounA2
  • bleed
    verbB2
  • bloodless
    adjectiveC2
  • bloodshed
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

For adjective/1, bloody is a strongly British intensifier that often carries irritation, impatience, or blunt emotional force. It is ruder than really or so, which can strengthen a statement without sounding offensive. Damn is closer in force and can also show anger, but it is common in both British and American English, while bloody is especially linked to British speech. Flipping is a mild substitute that keeps a similar rhythm when a speaker wants emphasis without swearing directly. Compare: 'That bloody printer jammed again' sounds openly annoyed, while 'That printer is really slow' is neutral, and 'That flipping printer jammed again' sounds toned down.

bloody ↗damn ↗really ↗so ↗flipping

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishEnglish

Bloody comes from Old English blodig, formed from blod, meaning 'blood', plus the adjective ending -ig, which became modern -y. Its earliest meaning was the literal one connected with blood itself. The British intensifier sense developed much later in everyday speech. The exact path of that later use is debated, but it became a strong emotional word for adding anger or emphasis.