bad blood
Preserved but no longer current.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “bad blood” mean?
Vindictiveness, ill-feeling; hence, to make bad blood, or to stir up bad blood, to create or renew ill-feeling and a vindictive spirit.
Is “bad blood” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.