Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 1.pdf/276

 1861. Saturday Review, Nov. 23, 534. We encounter the miserable Dr. Blandling in what is called a blue funk. [m.]

1871. Maxwell, in Life (1882), xvi., 382. Certainly [Greek: chloro\n the/os] is the Homeric for a blue funk.

Blue Hen's Chickens, subs. (American).—A slang name for the inhabitants of Delaware. The nickname arose thus: Captain Caldwell, an officer of the first Delaware regiment in the American War of Independence, was noted for his love of cock-fighting. Being personally popular, and his regiment becoming famous for their valour, they were soon known as 'game-cocks'; and as Caldwell maintained that no cock was truly game unless its mother was a blue hen, his regiment, and subsequently Delawareans generally, became known as blue hen's chickens, and Delaware as the Blue Hen State for the same reason. A boaster is also often brought to book by the sarcasm, 'Your mother was a blue hen no doubt.'

Blue Horse, subs. (military).—The Fourth Dragoon Horse, from its facings.

Blue Lightning, subs. (American).—One of the grimly facetious names with which Texans have christened revolvers. At times a dispute has literally been a word, a flash of blue lightning and—certain death. For synonyms, see Barker.

Blue Monday, subs. (workmen's).—A Monday spent in dissipation and absence from work. One often hears the phrase 'to feel Mondayish.' The German has der blaue Montag. Cf., Black Saturday.

1885. Harper's Magazine, p. 873, col. 1. The workman getting sober after his usual blue Monday. [m.]

Blue Moon. Once in a blue moon, phr. (popular).—Extremely seldom; an unlimited time; a rarely recurring period. An old phrase, first used in the sense of something absurd. A blue moon, like the Greek Kalends, is something which does not exist. A variant is 'when two Sundays come in a week.' As regards origin nothing is known; barring the extract from Roy and Barlow, authorities give no examples earlier than 1876—a curious fact.

1526. Roy and Barlowe, Rede me and be not wroth, p. 114 [ed. Arber, 1871].

Yf they saye the mone is belewe, We must beleve that it is true, Admittynge their interpretacion.

1860. F. W. Robinson, Grandmother's Money, I., p. 144. If he talked till a blue moon, etc.

1876. Miss Braddon, Joshua Haggard's Daughter, ch. xxiv. Why should she stint as to one or two puddings a week and a fruit pasty once in a blue moon.

1884. R. E. Francillon, Ropes of Sand, ch. xxi. 'I've made bold to take the chance of your being at home for once in a blue moon, Mr. Carew,' said she.

Blue Murder or Blue Murders, subs. (common).—A term used to describe cries of terror or alarm; a great noise; an unusual racket. Cf., French morbleu.

1887. J. S. Winter, Eng. Ill. Mag., Dec, p. 179. The dingy person dropped his victim and howled what the half-dozen officers graphically described as blue murder.