noun. Bloodshed.

noun. The removal of blood, usually from a vein, as a therapeutic measure.

noun. The laying off of personnel or the elimination of resources.

noun. In medicine, the act of letting blood or bleeding by opening a vein, as a remedial measure in the treatment of disease; phlebotomy.

noun. The act or process of letting blood or bleeding, as by opening a vein or artery, or by cupping or leeches; -- esp. applied to venesection.

noun. The archaic practice of treating illness by removing some blood, believed to be tainted, from the stricken person.

noun. By extension, the diminishment of any resource with the hope that this will lead to a positive effect.

noun. A circumstance such as a battle where a large amount of blood is likely to be spilled through violence.

noun. indiscriminate slaughter

noun. formerly used as a treatment to reduce excess blood (one of the four humors of medieval medicine)