1882. W. G. Black, in Notes and Queries, 6 S., v., p. 348. A witness was asked in the Northern Police Court, Glasgow, a few weeks ago, a question relative to the quality of certain whiskey said to have been supplied to him. 'It wasn't whiskey,' he said, 'it was nothing but bluestone.' 'But what?' inquired the magistrate. 'Bluestone,' your honour,' was the answer—'poison.' I heard the question and answer, and there can be no doubt that the word was used as a familiar one.
Blue Tape, subs. (old).—One of the many cant terms for gin. For synonyms, see Drinks.
Blue Whistler, subs. (American).—A
bullet. For synonyms,
see Pill.
1888. New York Herald, Nov. 4. It was Mr. Barbour's rifle shot which had hit him in the head and caused him to stagger. The pellet of lead passed deep into the brain. The second shot was from the Atlanta drummer, and his thirteen blue whistlers tore the brute's liver into shreds and made a great hole in his side. Ibid. After a few moments of reflection, being nearest to the quarry, I lifted my double-barrelled shotgun and let drive a volley of blue whistlers straight at bruin's yawning jaws.
Bluey, subs. (thieves').—1. Lead.—See
also Blue pigeon. [Supposed
to be an allusion to the
colour.]
French Synonyms. Du doussin; du noir (noir = black); du saucisson. 'To dispose of bluey at the fence,' i.e., the receiver of stolen goods—porter du gras-double au moulin.
2. (Australian.)—A bushman's bundle, the outside wrapper of which is generally a blue blanket—hence the name. This is also called his swag (q.v.); likewise a drum (q.v.).
Bluey-Hunter, subs, (thieves').—A
thief who steals lead, as described
under blue pigeon
flyer (q.v.), of which bluey-hunter
is a synonym. Cf.,
Billy-hunter.
1851-61. H. Mayhew, Lon. Lab. and Lon. Poor, IV., 26. Bluey-hunters, or those who purloin lead from the tops of houses.
1856. H. Mayhew, Gt. World of London, p. 46. Bluey-hunters, who take lead from the tops of houses.
Bluff, subs. (vagrants' and common).—An
excuse; a pretence;
that which is intended to hoodwink
or 'to blind.' Probably
a transferred usage of the
American sense.
1851-61. H. Mayhew, London Lab. and Lon. Poor, vol. I., p. 231. [List of patterer's words.] Bluff, an excuse.
1879. Bret Harte, Gabriel Conroy, ch. xxxix. There is a strong suspicion among men whose heads are level that this Minstrel Variety Performance is a bluff of the 'Messenger' to keep from the public the real motives of the murder.
1884. Boston (U.S.) Journal, Sept. 25. The oiler was only a bluff.
Verb (common).—To turn aside; to stop; to hoodwink; to blind as to one's real intention. Properly, to brag; to conceal one's weakness; from the American game of poker.—See subs.
1871. De Vere, Americanisms, p. 327. Like its near cousin, suggestively called bluff, poker is a mere hazard game, with which, however, is combined great skill in bragging to a purpose. One man offers a bet on his hand; another doubles the bet and 'goes one better'; then the first tries to bluff him off by a still higher bet, and thus the stake rises rapidly to often enormous sums.
1883. Echo, April 20, p. 3, col. 5. Subsequently a prominent bookmaker attempted to bluff Captain Machell by laying him 2,000 to 1,000 on Goggles against Sweetbread—a merry little bit of financial diplomacy, which was promptly followed by Goggles being struck out.
1885. Bret Harte, Ship of '49, ch. v. 'Far from bluffing, Sleight, I am throwing my cards on the table. Consider that I've passed out. Let some other man take my hand.'
