English

Noun

bly ‎(plural blies)

1. (now chiefly dialectal) Likeness; resemblance; look aspect; species; character.

   I see a bly of your father about you.

Afrikaans

Etymology 1

From Dutch blijven.

Verb

bly ‎(present bly, present participle blywende, past participle gebly)

1. to live (somewhere)
2. to stay; to remain

Etymology 2

From Dutch blij.

Adjective

bly ‎(attributive blye, comparative blyer, superlative blyste)

1. happy

Danish

Etymology 1

From Old Norse blý

Noun

bly n (singular definite blyet, not used in plural form)

1. lead (metal)
2. (informal) ammunition for a firearm
   • 2010, Niels Ole Qvist, Tango 4, Gyldendal A/S (ISBN 9788702106442)

     Han holder af at stå i skyggen under bliktaget og spy bly ud over terrænet uden at blive forstyrret.

     He likes to stand in the shade under the roof and pump lead out over the terrain without being interrupted.

   • 2015, Nicolai Lilin, Sibirisk opdragelse: Opvækst i en kriminel underverden, Art People (ISBN 9788771377347)

     Mel skød som sædvanlig fuldstændig vildt, idet han forsøgte at lave maskingeværssalver med sin pistol, så der fløj bly i alle retninger.

     As usual, Mel shot wildly, as he attempted to make machine gun salvos with his pistol, so that lead went in all directions.

Declension

Synonyms

• (metal): plumbum (rare)

Etymology 2

Adjective

bly

1. shy, timid
   • 2014, Robyn Grady, Michelle Reid, Sandra Marton, Altid hos dig/Ægteskab på afveje/Den uskyldige pige, Förlaget Harlequin AB (ISBN 9789150784039)

     Hun ligger som regel stadig inde i sengen. Hun er meget bly.

     She usually still lies in the bed. She is very shy.

   • 2014, Lone Klint Grønbæk, Camino: Vandring og forandring, BoD – Books on Demand (ISBN 9788771450989), page 61

     Daniella, den yngste af de 3 italienske nonner, var meget kontaktsøgende. Hun var, modsat de andre, endnu ikke bly, ydmyg og privat.

     Daniella, the youngest of the three Italian nuns, was very extroverted. She was, unlike the others, not yet shy, humble and private.

Noun

bly ? (singular definite ?, plural indefinite ?)

1. (archaic) Reluctance to express thoughts.
   • 1848, Nyt historisk tidsskrift, page 58

     thi Konger og Stormænd have Alting undtagen Sandhedsmænd og behøve derfor meest de Bøger, som dristig uden Bly og Frygt paaminde os i alle vore Gierninger; de ere ikke alle troe Venner, der ere Kongetienere."

     for kings and lords have everything but men of truth and therefore are in greatest need of the books which, boldly and without worry and fear, remind us in all our doings that not all those who serve kings are faithful friends.

Derived terms

• bly viol

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Old Norse blý

Noun

bly n ‎(definite singular blyet, singulare tantum)

1. lead (material and chemical element, symbol Pb)

Derived terms

• blyfri

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse blý

Noun

bly n ‎(definite singular blyet, singulare tantum)

1. lead (material and chemical element, symbol Pb)

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Norse blý, from Proto-Germanic *blīwą.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /blyː/

Noun

bly n ‎(uncountable)

1. lead (chemical element)

Declension

Related terms

• blyad
• blyfri
• blyerts
• blytung