Blethers (Scottish), wind or windy; nonsense. Robert Burns jocosely laments that his business was to string up blethers in rhyme for fools to sing. Bletherhead is a loquacious fool. Bletherumskite is a synonymous word, but expressive of still greater contempt by the use of the word "skite" or "skyte," which signifies excrement. To blether or blather is to talk tediously and foolishly. The word is akin to "bladder," that is, filled with wind.
I hae been clean spoilt just wi' listening to twa blethering old wives.—Sir Walter Scott: Old Mortality.
Wha can ken ... whether sic prayers as the Southron read out of their auld blethering black mess-book there, may not be as powerful to invite fiends, &c.—Scott: Fortunes of Nigel.
Blew or blue (common), to waste, to spend, to dissipate. "I blew a bob (I wasted a shilling)," said a costermonger, "when I went to an exhibition of pictures." To spend or lose one's money in gambling or betting.
But knock-down blows the punter knows
Are a part of his racing creed,
And he says this year he has no fear—
"The Baron must succeed!"
We think so too, and our oof we'll blew,
However rash the act,
For if this one's missed he will swell the list
Of the winners we might have backed.
We'll polish off the malt and grog, and to have we are bound,
A jolly jug, and kiss the girls and women all around;
We'll take a stroll, and then keep it up till boxing night,
Blew all the coin—rent as well, and think we're doing right;
And if we have to pawn the clock, next day I shan't repine,
It was my father's custom, and so it shall be mine.
Blewed (common), spent, disposed of. Lost or been robbed of . Primarily, to pay out, to spend. German blauen, which suggests blue, and not to blow, as the original. Ins blaue hinein (away into the blue), vanished, gone; the French passé au bleu has the same signification. Faire passer au bleu, to suppress, dissipate, spend, squander, appropriate. An allusion to a distant, undefined place in the blue above.
Bligee, bligey (pidgin), obliged.
Too muchee 'bligee you, Missee Hughsee, fo' that number-one book. You show me that pricee, England-side, my look see that Table, can savey how-fashion makee offer. Must catchee chancee now.—Chin: Punch.
Blimey (common), an apparently meaningless, abusive term.
C. for the Mob.—As this is a court, I feel it suitable and proper to use the sort of language always used up our court. I therefore remark, "Liars, murderers, rascals, ghastly bloodsuckers, devils; garn hout, shet up currant-face, blimey" and other things which would naturally occur to a gentleman by Act of Parliament.—An Ennobling Exhibition.
Blind (popular), "in the blind," in the night, in darkness.
