The Bloody Butcher
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The Duke of Cumber- land (1721-65), second son of George II. So called from his barbarities in suppressing the rebellion of the Young Pretender.
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 “The Bloody Butcher” mean?
The Duke of Cumber- land (1721-65), second son of George II. So called from his barbarities in suppressing the rebellion of the Young Pretender.
Is “The Bloody Butcher” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.