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.
