# bled

/ˈbɫɛd/ (US) · /blˈɛd/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bled
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

the past tense of 'bleed'. It means that blood came out of a body, or a liquid spread into another material.

For teachers: the past tense and past participle of 'bleed'. Refers to the loss of blood from the vascular system or the diffusion of a substance, such as ink or dye, into an adjacent surface.

## Examples

- His finger bled for a few minutes after he cut it.
- The red ink bled through the thin paper and ruined the notes on the other side.
- The patient bled significantly before the paramedics arrived, necessitating an immediate transfusion to stabilize his blood pressure during transport to the hospital.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He has bleeded a lot." but "He has bled a lot." — 'Bleed' is an irregular verb; the past tense and past participle form is 'bled', not 'bleeded'.

## Usage notes

- The verb is intransitive when referring to the flow of liquid, but can be transitive in medical or technical contexts.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.