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The shedding or spilling of blood; slaughter; the act of shedding human blood, or taking life, as in war, riot, or murder.

One who sheds blood; a manslayer; a murderer.

Bloodshed. Shak.

took for betraying his Master, and therefore called the field of blood. Fig.: A field of bloodshed. The system of warfare . . . which had already converted immense tracts into one universal aceldama. De Quincey.

To absolve; to acquit by sentence of court. God assoilzie him for the sin of bloodshed. Sir W. Scott.

Guilty of murder or bloodshed. "A bloodguilty life." Fairfax. -- Blood"guilt`i*ness (, n. -- Blood"guilt`less, a.

One who sheds blood; a cruel, bloodthirsty man; one guilty of bloodshed; a murderer. [Obs.] Shak.

Attended with, or involving, bloodshed; sanguinary; esp., marked by great slaughter or cruelty; as, a bloody battle.

Great destruction of life, as in battle; bloodshed; slaughter; massacre; murder; havoc. The more fearful carnage of the Bloody Circuit. Macaulay.

e strife between families, clans, or parties; deadly hatred; contention satisfied only by bloodshed. Mutual feuds and battles betwixt their several tribes and kindreds. Purchas.

Of or pertaining to murder; characterized by, or causing, murder or bloodshed; having the purpose or quality of murder; bloody; sanguinary; as, the murderous king; murderous rapine; murderous intent; a murderous assault. "Murderous coward." Shak. -- Mur"der*ous*ly, adv.

Attended with much bloodshed; bloody; murderous; as, a sanguinary war, contest, or battle. We may not propagate religion by wars, or by sanguinary persecutions to force consciences. Bacon.

The act of shedding or spilling; -- used only in composition, as in bloodshed.

sovereign powers; declared and open hostilities. Men will ever distinguish war from mere bloodshed. F. W. Robertson.