Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Deficient in or lacking blood.
  • adjective Pale and anemic in color.
  • adjective Achieved without bloodshed.
  • adjective Lacking vivacity or spirit.
  • adjective Devoid of human emotion or feeling.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Without blood; drained of blood; dead from loss of blood.
  • Pale or colorless from defect of blood; pallid: as, bloodless lips.
  • Free from bloodshed; unattended by blood: as, a bloodless victory; “with bloodless stroke,”
  • Without spirit or energy.
  • Cold-hearted: as, bloodless charity or ceremony.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Destitute of blood, or apparently so; ; lifeless; dead.
  • adjective Not attended with shedding of blood, or slaughter.
  • adjective Without spirit or activity.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Lacking blood; ashen, anaemic.
  • adjective Taking place without loss of blood.
  • adjective Lacking emotion, passion or vivacity.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective destitute of blood or apparently so
  • adjective devoid of human emotion or feeling
  • adjective without vigor or zest or energy
  • adjective anemic looking from illness or emotion
  • adjective free from blood or bloodshed

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English blodles, from Old English blōdlēas ("bloodless"), equivalent to blood +‎ -less. Cognate with Dutch bloedeloos ("bloodless"), German blutlos ("bloodless"), Danish blodløs ("bloodless"), Swedish blodlös ("bloodless"), Icelandic blóðlaus ("bloodless").

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Examples

  • President of Chile, was presented to the Latin American nations -- his party and his doctrine -- as an example of what they called a bloodless revolution.

    UNIVERSITY SPEECH BLASTS CPR BETRAYAL 1966

  • The country's first free elections 20 years ago this month became known as the bloodless revolution.

    CNN Transcript Jun 20, 2009 2009

  • In A Taste of Armageddon, Kirk and crew actively destroy the systems that allow the planet to engage in bloodless wars.

    The Memory Hole 2005

  • Rome, pick up Prince Charles, put him on the magic carpet, fly to London, clap the Cap of Darkness on him so that nobody can see him, set him down on the throne of his fathers; pick up the Elector, carry him over to his beloved Hanover, and the trick is done -- what they call a bloodless revolution in the history books. "

    Prince Ricardo of Pantouflia being the adventures of Prince Prigio's son Andrew Lang 1878

  • Nowhere does it say "bloodless"- in fact, in the example given by Random House, with the history of extreme violence in the days of strikebreakers, there is the clear implication of threats of violence.

    Blackmail and Policy Christine Robinson 2006

  • However, a rueful subordinate describes him as "bloodless" - and, certainly, his fame as the late John Paul II's "enforcer" was not unearned.

    The Guardian World News John Hooper 2010

  • In 2003 with considerable CIA help, Georgia's President Saskashvili came to power in the so-called bloodless "Rose Revolution."

    Using Georgia to Target Russia 2008

  • In 2003 with considerable CIA help, Georgia's President Saskashvili came to power in the so-called bloodless "Rose Revolution."

    Using Georgia to Target Russia 2008

  • Fortunately for Fodor, Egier was able to suggest a third option -- so-called bloodless surgery using an experimental blood substitute called Hemolink.

    The Quest For Artificial Blood 2007

  • HARRIS: On the streets of Bangkok, relatively quiet today after what's being called a bloodless coup in Thailand.

    CNN Transcript Sep 20, 2006 2006

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