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.
