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 1871. De Vere, Americanisms, p. 291. The confederate notes bore, for the same reason, the name of bluebacks, which was, however, soon exchanged for the slang term of shucks.

2. The Orange Free State paper money.

1878. Trollope, South Africa, II., p. 206. Bluebacks, as they were called, were printed. Ibid, p. 222. The bluebacks as the Orange Free State banknotes were called.

Blue Bellies.—A nickname bestowed by Southerners, during the Civil War, upon their opponents of the North, whose uniform was blue. They were also called boys in blue, yanks, etc. The Southerners, on the other hand, received such names as the secesh, rebs, and johnny rebs, the latter being sometimes shortened to johnnies. The grey uniform of the Confederates likewise caused them to be styled boys in grey and grey-backs, the latter epithet cutting two ways, as the Southern soldiers not only wore grey uniforms, but 'greyback' in America as well as England signifies a louse.

1883. Daily Telegraph, Feb. 9, p. 5, col. 4. The Confederate armies during the great Civil War in America were known as 'Greybacks,' whereas their Federal opponents, from the light-azure gaberdines which they wore, were dubbed 'blue-bellies.'

Blue Bills, subs. (Winchester College).—The tradesmen's bills sent home to the parents and guardians of students. [So called from the colour of the envelopes generally used.]

Blue Billy, subs. (pugilistic).—1. A handkerchief (blue ground with white spots) sometimes worn and used as a colour at prize-fights.—See Billy, sense 1.

2. (mining.)—See quotation.

1887. 'Death of Blue Billy,' in Chamb. Jour., Dec. 17, p. 812. Blue Billy is the technical name given to the lime rendered foul in the purification of the gas.

Blue Blanket, subs. (common).—The sky. This simile is an old one; Defoe's use of it may probably have been suggested by Shakspeare's blanket of the dark' (Macbeth, I., v.).

c. 1720. Defoe, Hist. of Devil, quoted in N. and Q., 7 S., ii., 289; see also 7 S., ii., 492. We must be content till we come on the other side the blue blanket, and then we shall know the whole story.

1877. Greenwood, Under the Blue Blanket. The vagrant brotherhood have several slang terms for sleeping out in a field or meadow. It is called 'snoozing in Hedge Square'; dossing with the daisies'; and 'lying under the blue blanket.'

The French say, 'coucher à l'hotel de l'Etoile,' i.e., 'to sleep at the Star Hotel'; while in the Fourbesque, or Italian cant, heaven or the sky is termed copertore, a covering or blanket.

2. (common.)—A rough overcoat made of coarse pilot cloth.

Blue Blazes.—See Blazes.

Blue Boar, subs. (old).—A certain venereal disease.

Blue-Bottle, subs. (popular).—1. A policeman. This epithet, at one time applied generally to all wearers of a dark blue uniform, is now invariably understood to mean a guardian of the peace. It is one of the oldest of the nicknames given to members of the force, and occurs as far back as 1598.