Blazes, subs. (general).—The infernal regions. This, an allusion to the flames of hell, was the original meaning; constant use, however, has lessened the force of the expression, and as in the case of 'bloody,' few who employ such flowers of oratory have any notion of the proper signification. In most cases the word is now a meaningless intensitive, and takes rank with such expressions as like one o'clock, like winkey, etc. The verb to blaze is likewise employed in a manner closely bordering on slang. Thus one says of an action that it is a blazing shame; that he has a blazing headache; that so-and-so is a blazing thief; that such a job is blazing hard work; that it is a blazing hot day—all figurative uses of the legitimate idea. Appended are illustrations of some of its usages.
(Common.)—The brilliant habiliments of flunkeys. Derived from the episode of Sam Weller and the 'swarry.'
Old Blazes, subs. (common).—The devil. For synonyms, see Skipper.
1849. Southern Literary Messenger, June. He looked, upon my word, like Old Blazes himself, with his clothing all on fire, and rage and despair in his face.
Go to blazes, phr. (common).—Go to the devil; go to hell—expressions of contempt used in imprecations.
1851. Mayhew, London Labour and London Poor, III., p. 135. He jumps through a trap in the window with a bottle on it, marked 'Old Tom,' and a scroll falls down, written gone to blazes.
1861. Thackeray, Adventures of Philip, I., p. 99. Old Parr Street is mined, sir—mined! And some morning we shall be blown into blazes,—into blazes, sir, mark my words!
1862. Mrs. Riddell ('F. G. Trafford'), Too Much Alone, p. 200. 'Has no one been here this afternoon?' 'Yes, one man, to ask his way to blazes, or some place else.'
1880. S. Clemens ('Mark Twain'), Sketch (Mr. Skae's Item). I could have told Johnny Skae that I would not receive his communication at such a late hour, and to go to blazes with it.
1882. Jas. Payn, in 'A Failure of Justice', in Glow Worm Tales, p. 97. 'Sir,' cried I, authoritatively, 'let me tell you I am a Middlesex magistrate.' 'Oh, yes: a likely story!' was his audacious reply. 'You've got 'Ighbury Barn written on your countenance you have, go to blazes!' and he slammed down the window.
Like blazes, adv. phr. (popular).—Vehemently; with extreme ardour.—See Anything and Winkey.
1845. B. Disraeli, Sybil or The Two Nations, p. 330. Syllabubs like blazes, and snapdragon as makes the flunkeys quite pale. Ibid, p. 369. 'They pelted the police . . .' 'And cheered the red-coats like blazes,' said Mick. Ibid. She sets her face against gals working in mills like blazes.
1851. Mayhew, London Labour and London Poor, III., p. 159. She liked this very much, in fact so much, that the other little ones used to cry like blazes because I wouldn't let them have a turn at them [the stilts].
1859. Chas. Dickens, Tale of Two Cities, I., p. 15 (in parts). A blazing strange answer.
1864. J. Lawrence, Guy Livingstone or Thorough. They hate each other like blazes.
18(?). De Quincey, Spanish Nun, sect. 24. The horse was so maddened by the wound, and the road so steep, that he went like blazes.
How, Who, or What the blazes, phr. (popular).—A somewhat more intense interrogatory than Who or What or even Who or What the Dickens.
1836. Dickens, Pickwick, ch. lv., p. 479. 'Pell,' he used to say to me many a
