bless you
Post-achoo courtesy
Bless you is what English speakers say when someone sneezes—a reflexive social courtesy like "excuse me" after a burp.
The expression derives from an old belief that sneezing expelled evil spirits or left one vulnerable to them.
Today it carries no religious weight for most speakers: Bless you! Are you coming down with something?
Outside the sneezing context, bless you expresses gratitude or affection: Bless you for helping with the move.
Borrowed German sneeze blessing
- achooSpelled-out sneeze
- tissueDisposable soft paper
- handkerchiefPocket cloth for sniffles
- allergyAdverse immune response
cold · sniffle · pollen · dust · pepper · reflex · nasal · sinus
Respectful, considerate behavior
- mannersCustoms of polite conduct
- politenessCourteous, respectful conduct
- responseAnswer to stimulus
- customHabitual group practice
habit · social · automatic · polite · acknowledgment · ritual · convention · civility
gesundheit
Borrowed German sneeze blessing
- achooSpelled-out sneeze
- tissueDisposable soft paper
- handkerchiefPocket cloth for sniffles
allergy · cold · sniffle · pollen · dust · pepper · reflex · nasal · sinus · seasonal
courtesy
Respectful, considerate behavior
- mannersCustoms of polite conduct
- politenessCourteous, respectful conduct
- responseAnswer to stimulus
custom · habit · social · automatic · polite · acknowledgment · ritual · convention · civility · propriety
grace
Effortless beauty of motion
protection · peace · wellbeing · prosperity · health · divine · spiritual · sacred · holy · godspeed
- social interactiongreeting, hello, goodbye, hi, bye
- Common Phraseshello, goodbye, please, sorry, excuse me
- courtesiesplease, thanks, sorry, excuse me, pardon
- expressionsexpression, phrase, idioms, I'm sorry, phrases
- stock phrasesstock phrase, set phrase, cliche, catchphrase, filler phrase
- well-wishesgood luck, best wishes, take care, warm regards, all the best
bless youdamn you
anathema · go to hell · damn your eyes · rot in hell · malediction
bless, bliss, blessing, you, blessed, blessings, blesses, blest, unblessed