bleed
gb/blˈid/ us/blˈid/
A2
English
~ 2000
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Lose blood from the body
To have blood come out from the body, often because of a cut or injury.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] bleeds [from a wound/body part]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'bleed' with 'blood'. 'Bleed' is the verb (action), while 'blood' is the noun (the red liquid).
Synonyms
hemorrhage (More formal or medical term for losing blood, often used in hospital contexts.)
Antonyms
clot (Refers to the process of blood thickening to stop bleeding.)
Collocations
bleed heavily
|start to bleed
|bleed from the nose
|bleed to death
|bleed profusely
Themes
health
|human body
|injury
|body
Examples
- He began to bleed after cutting his hand on the glass.
- The soldier was bleeding heavily from a wound in his leg.
- If you bleed too much, you can lose consciousness.
- She noticed her nose was starting to bleed.
- The injured dog was bleeding from its ear.
Learner examples
- My finger is bleeding.
- He is bleeding from his knee.
- The man is bleeding a lot.
- She is bleeding because she fell.
- The cat is bleeding from its paw.
Verb
B1
action
2
Cause loss of blood
To make someone or something lose blood.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] bleeds [someone/something]
Synonyms
drain (In some contexts, means to remove liquid from something, but less specific than 'bleed' for blood.)
Collocations
bleed an animal
|bleed a patient
|bled dry
Themes
health
|injury
|body
Examples
- The butcher bled the animal before processing the meat.
- Doctors used to bleed patients as a treatment for illness.
- They bled the fish before cooking it.
Learner examples
- The farmer bleeds the cow before selling meat.
- They bled the fish before cooking.
- In the past, doctors would bleed sick people.
Verb
informal
B2
action
3
Lose money continuously
To keep losing money or resources over time.
Usage pattern:
[something] bleeds [money/resources]
Synonyms
drain (More general and can refer to energy or resources, not only money.)
Antonyms
profit (Opposite in financial contexts, meaning to gain money instead of losing it.)
Collocations
bleed money
|bleed resources
|bleed dry
Themes
business
|finance
Examples
- The company has been bleeding money for years.
- The war effort bled the nation's resources dry.
- Poor management is bleeding the business of profits.
Learner examples
- The shop is bleeding money every day.
- The project is bleeding resources.
- The bad plan bled the company dry.
Verb
B2
action
4
Remove air from a system
To take out air from something like brakes or a heater by letting liquid or gas out.
Usage pattern:
bleed [a system/device]
Synonyms
vent (Broader term meaning to release gas or air, not always mechanical.)
Collocations
bleed the brakes
|bleed a radiator
Themes
mechanics
|technology
|transportation
Examples
- You need to bleed the brakes after replacing the brake fluid.
- He bled the radiator to get rid of trapped air.
- The mechanic will bleed the hydraulic system.
Learner examples
- I will bleed the brakes today.
- We need to bleed the radiator.
- He bled the car brakes after fixing them.
Verb
informal
B2
action
5
Take a lot of money unfairly
To take too much money from someone in a bad way.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] bleeds [someone] [of money/resources]
Synonyms
exploit (Similar but broader; can involve other forms of taking advantage beyond money.)
Collocations
bleed someone dry
Themes
money
|crime
|finance
|business
Examples
- The corrupt officials were bleeding taxpayers dry.
- Loan sharks can bleed desperate people of everything they own.
- He felt the lawyers were bleeding him for every penny.
Learner examples
- They are bleeding him dry.
- The bad men bled her of all her money.
- The company bled customers for years.
Grammar
Dictionary form
bleed
IPA
GB/blˈid/
US/blˈid/
Syllables & stress
bleed (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (bleed)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: bleed
- 3rd Person Singular: bleeds
- Present Participle: bleeding
- Past: bled
- Past Participle: bled
Word family
Forms
bleeds
verb
bleeding
verb
bled
verb
Core family
blood
noun A2
Related words
bloody
adjective B2
Negative and opposite forms
bloodless
adjective
Advanced or less common
bleeder
noun
Highlights
- Irregular past: bled Verb
- Irregular past participle: bled Verb
Expressions
bleed out
1/blˈid ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
Die from excessive blood loss
To die because too much blood has left your body.
Examples
- Without medical help, he would have bled out in minutes.
- The soldier was close to bleeding out when medics arrived.
bleed someone dry
1/blˈid sˈʌmwˌʌn dɹˈaɪ/
idiom
informal
Take all someone's resources unfairly
To take all of someone's money or things in an unfair way.
Examples
- The divorce settlement bled him dry.
- Corrupt landlords are bleeding tenants dry.
make someone's heart bleed
1/mˈeɪk sˈʌmwˌʌnz hˈɑɹt blˈid/
idiom
informal
Cause strong pity or sadness
To make someone feel very sad for another person.
Examples
- Her story made my heart bleed.
- It makes my heart bleed to see so many homeless people.