1. a person’s first experience of a particular activity, especially one involving violence or difficulty
Usage: often used in hunting contexts
2. the act of smearing blood on someone’s face as part of a hunting ritual
Usage: traditional hunting practice

Examples

• The young hunter received his blooding after his first successful deer hunt.
• It was considered a rite of passage, this blooding of new members.
• The tradition of blooding has been practiced for centuries in fox hunting.
• His blooding came during his first military engagement.
• The ceremony included the blooding of the novice hunters.
• She was nervous about her blooding, knowing it marked her entry into the group.