Marked with a B
Preserved but no longer current.
In the Middle Ages, and as late as the 17th century (especially in America), this letter was branded on the fore- head of convicted blasphemers. In France Stre matque an "6" means to be either one- eyed, hump-backed, or lame (borgne, bossu, boiteux); hence, a poor, miserable sort of creature.
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 “Marked with a B” mean?
In the Middle Ages, and as late as the 17th century (especially in America), this letter was branded on the fore- head of convicted blasphemers. In France Stre matque an "6" means to be either one- eyed, hump-backed, or lame (borgne, bossu, boiteux); hence, a poor, miserable sort of creature.
Is “Marked with a B” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.