n. The act of speaking well to or of; blessing.n. An invocation of divine blessing, either by a private individual or a church official; specifically, in the Christian church generally, the form of blessing pronounced by the person officiating, at the close of divine service and on several other occasions, as marriages, the visitation of the sick, etc.n. When the benediction is pronounced officially by a priest or clergyman, he usually stands with hands uplifted, and the congregation receive it with bowed heads. Illustrations of ancient benedictions are afforded by Gen. xxiv. 60 (a nuptial blessing); Gen. xxvii. 27–29 (a death-bed blessing); Num. vi. 24–27 (a priestly blessing). The apostolic benediction is that proceeding from the pope, and is either given personally, as at Rome, or by delegation in other parts of the world. See blessing.n. The rite of instituting an abbot or an abbess, and of receiving the profession of a nun or of a religious knight.n. An additional ceremony performed by a priest after the regular celebration of matrimony: called the nuptial benediction.n. The ceremony by which things are set aside for sacred uses, as a church or vestments, bells, etc., or things for ordinary use are hallowed, as houses, etc.n. The advantage conferred by blessing or the invocation of blessings.