blue
Said of talk that is smutty or indecent. Probably from the French, "Bibliothèque Bleu." When the conversation has assumed an entirely opposite character, it is then said to be BROWN or Quakerish.
English · UK & Ireland 1634
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Expressions you’ll hear in Britain and Ireland — distinctly British usage first, then widespread staples.
blue bellies
A term applied by the Confederate soldiers during the civil war in America to the Federals, the name being suggested by the skyblue gaberdines worn by the Northern soldiers. On the other hand, the "filthy BLUE BELLIES," as the full title ran, dubbed the Confederates "Greybacks," the epithet cutting both ways, as the Southern soldiers not only wore grey uniforms, but "greyback" is American as well as English for a louse.
blue bottle
A policeman. This well-known slang term for a London constable is used by Shakspeare. In Part ii. of King Henry IV., act v. scene 4, Doll Tearsheet calls the beadle, who is dragging her in, a "thin man in a censer, a BLUE-BOTTLE rogue." This may at first seem singular, but the reason is obvious. The beadles of Bridewell whose duty it was to whip the women prisoners were clad in blue.
blue butter
Mercurial ointment used for the destruction of parasites.
blue devils
Feelings of anxiety or depression
blue flag
He has hoisted the blue flag; he has commenced publican, or taken a public house, an allusion to the blue aprons worn by publicans. See ADMIRAL OF THE BLUE.
blue moon
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
blue murders
Probably from desperate or alarming cries. A term used more to describe cries of terror or alarm than for any other purpose. As, "I heard her calling BLUE MURDERS."—MORBLEU.
blue pigeons
Thieves who steal lead off houses and churches. Cant. To fly a blue pigeon; to steal lead off houses or churches.
blue plumb
A bullet.--Surfeited with a blue plumb; wounded with a bullet. A sortment of George R--'s blue plumbs; a volley of ball, shot from soldiers' firelocks.
blue skin
A person begotten on a black woman by a white man. One of the blue squadron; any one having a cross of the black breed, or, as it is termed, a lick of the tar brush.
blue-pigeon-flyer
Sometimes a journeyman plumber, glazier, or other workman, who, when repairing houses, strips off the lead, and makes away with it. This performance is, though, by no means confined to workmen. An empty house is often entered and the whole of the roof in its vicinity stripped, the only notice given to the folks below being received by them on the occasion of a heavy downfall of rain.
blued
Or BLEWED, tipsy, or drunk. Now given way to SLEWED.
blues
A fit of despondency.—See BLUE DEVILS.
bluey
Lead.—German, BLEI. Most likely, though, from the colour, as the term is of the very lowest slang.
bluff
Fierce, surly. He looked as bluff as bull beef.
bluff
An excuse; also the game at cards known as euchre in America.
bluffer
An inn-keeper. Cant.
blunderbuss
A short gun, with a wide bore, for carrying slugs; also a stupid, blundering fellow.
blunt
Money. It has been said that this term is from the French BLOND, sandy or golden colour, and that a parallel may be found in BROWN or BROWNS, the slang for half-pence. Far-fetched as this etymology seems, it may be correct, as it is borne out by the analogy of similar expressions. Cf. BLANQUILLO, a word used in Morocco and Southern Spain for a small Moorish coin. The "asper" (ἄσπρον) of Constantinople is called by the Turks AKCHEH, i.e., "little white."
blurt out
To say something suddenly and without thinking
bo-peep
One who sometimes hides himself, and sometimes appears publicly abroad, is said to-play at bo-peep. Also one who lies perdue, or on the watch.
board-of-green-cloth
A facetious synonym for a card or billiard table.
boarding school
Bridewell, Newgate, or any other prison, or house of correction.
boat
Originally to transport; the term is now applied to penal servitude. To "get the BOAT," or to "be BOATED," is to be sentenced to a long term of imprisonment equivalent to transportation under the old system.
bob
A shoplifter's assistant, or one that receives and carries off stolen goods. All is bob; all is safe. Cant.
bob
A shilling. Formerly BOBSTICK, which may have been the original. BOB-A-NOB, a shilling a-head.
bob stay
A rope which holds the bowsprit to the stem or cutwater. Figuratively, the frenum of a man's yard.
bob tail
A lewd woman, or one that plays with her tail; also an impotent man, or an eunuch. Tag, rag, and bobtail; a mob of all sorts of low people. To shift one's bob; to move off, or go away. To bear a bob; to join in chorus with any singers. Also a term used by the sellers of game, for a partridge.
bob, my pal
A gal,—vulgar pronunciation of girl.
bobbed
Cheated, tricked, disappointed.
bobbery
A squabble, tumult.—Anglo-Indian.
bobbish
Smart, clever, spruce.
bobbish
Very well, clever, spruce. "How are you doing?" "Oh! pretty BOBBISH."—Old.
bobby
A policeman: both BOBBY and PEELER were nicknames given to the new police, in allusion to the Christian name and surname of the late Sir Robert Peel, who was the prime mover in effecting their introduction and improvement. The term BOBBY is, however, older than the introduction of the new police. The official square-keeper, who is always armed with a cane to drive away idle and disorderly urchins, has, time out of mind, been called by the said urchins, "BOBBY the beadle."
bodkin
Any one sitting between two others in a carriage, is said "to ride BODKIN." Amongst sporting men, applied to a person who takes his turn between the sheets on alternate nights, when the hotel has twice as many visitors as it can comfortably lodge; as, for instance, during a race-week.
body-snatcher
A bailiff or runner: SNATCH, the trick by which the bailiff captures the delinquent. These terms are now almost obsolete, so far as the pursuits mentioned are concerned.
bog
Or BOG-HOUSE, a privy, as distinguished from a water-closet. Originally printers’ slang, but now very common, and not applied to any particular form of cabinet d’aisance. "To BOG" is to ease oneself by evacuation.
bog house
The necessary house. To go to bog; to go to stool.
bog lander
An Irishman; Ireland being famous for its large bogs, which furnish the chief fuel in many parts of that kingdom.
bog latin
Barbarous Latin. Irish.--See DOG LATIN, and APOTHECARIES LATIN.
bog-oranges
Potatoes. A phrase perhaps derived from the term "Irish fruit," which, by some strange peculiarity has been applied to potatoes; for even the most ignorant Cockney could hardly believe that potatoes grow in a bog.
bog-trotter
Satirical name for an Irishman.—Miege. Camden, however, speaking of the "debateable land" on the borders of England and Scotland, says, "both these dales breed notable BOG-TROTTERS."
bogus
An American term for anything pretending to be that which it is not—such as BOGUS degrees, BOGUS titles, &c.
bogy
Ask bogy, i.e. ask mine a-se. Sea wit.
boh
Said to be the name of a Danish general, who so terrified his opponent Foh, that he caused him to bewray himself. Whence, when we smell a stink, it is custom to exclaim, Foh! i.e. I smell general Foh. He cannot say Boh to a goose; i.e. he is a cowardly or sheepish fellow.
boilers
Or BROMPTON BOILERS, a name originally given to the New Kensington Museum and School of Art, in allusion to the peculiar form of the buildings, and the fact of their being mainly composed of, and covered with, sheet iron. This has been changed since the extensive alterations in the building, or rather pile of buildings, and the words are now the property of the Bethnal Green Museum.—See PEPPER-BOXES.
boko
The nose. Originally pugilistic slang, but now general.
bold
Bold as a miller's shirt, which every day takes a rogue by the collar.
bolt
To run away, decamp, or abscond. Also to swallow without chewing. To eat greedily.
bolt upright
As erect, or straight up, as an arrow set on its end.
bolus
A nick name for an apothecary.
bolus
An apothecary. Origin evident.
bombay ducks
In the East India Company’s army the Bombay regiments were so designated. The name is now given to a dried fish (bummelow), much eaten by natives and Europeans in Western India.—Anglo-Indian.
bone
To steal or appropriate what does not belong to you. BONED, seized, apprehended.—Old.
bone-grubber
A person who hunts dust-holes, gutters, and all likely spots for refuse bones, which he sells at the rag-shops, or to the bone-grinders. The term was also applied to a resurrectionist. Cobbett was therefore called "a BONE GRUBBER," because he brought the remains of Tom Paine from America.
boned
Seized, apprehended, taken up by a constable. CANT.
bones
To rattle the BONES, to play at dice: also called St. Hugh’s BONES.
bonesetter
A hard-trotting horse.
boniface
Landlord of a tavern or inn.