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- Dictionarybad blood/ˌbad ˈbləd/
noun
- 1. ill feeling: "there has always been bad blood between these families"
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Nov 26, 2017 · The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms dates the expression bad blood to the early 19th century: This term is based on the old association with blood and emotion, particularly anger. Versions such as ill blood preceded it; Charles Lamb was among the first to use the idiom in its current form in an 1823 essay.
As far as I know, it comes from “blood feuds” between families, clans, or tribes. Have a look at Wiktionary’s definition. One of the earliest appearances seems to be in Essays of Elia by Charles Lamb in 1823. Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language & Usage Stack Exchange! By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our ...
In ancient Middle Eastern culture, blood rituals symbolized bonds that were far greater than those of the family. Hence the bond between ‘Blood Brothers’—warriors who symbolically share the blood they have shed together in battle—is far stronger than the one between you and the boy you grew up with who kept pinching your records.
Jul 22, 2022 · The phrase ‘bloody drunk’ was apparently = ‘as drunk as a blood’ (cf. ‘as drunk as a lord’); thence it was extended to kindred expressions, and at length to others; probably, in later times, its associations with bloodshed and murder (cf. a bloody battle, a bloody butcher) have recommended it to the rough classes as a word that appeals to their imagination.
Nov 12, 2011 · As well as an intensifying adjective it is also used as an exclamation. This is from where the 'Bloody Hell' of the OP originates. The expression, so the legend goes, was once 'By our Lady Mary', shortened to 'Bloody Mary' and given as an exclamation following some shocking news. e.g. 'Ten of ours are dead', 'Bloody Mary'.
Feb 24, 2017 · Wiktionary gives the meaning of " break bad " but does not mention about the origin: 1.(colloquial, of an event or of one's fortunes) To go wrong; to go downhill. 2.(colloquial, chiefly Southern US and Midwest US, of a person) To go bad; to turn toward immorality or crime. Cassell's Dictionary of Slang (by Jonathon Green) has the below ...
Apr 16, 2016 · 2. It means that working overtime for us is just normal, like the blood in our veins. These writers try to avoid cliches, and here the writer has done so beautifully. And it is not dismissive. It's just saying this is normal. I have seen The Wire but I do not remember the scene.
Jun 3, 2019 · The verb in the meaning of to urinate, dates back to about 1300 but the newer meaning of to leave or go away seem to have originated in the 1930s: to piss off 1. intransitive. To leave, go away. Frequently in imperative.The imperative is sometimes used simply to express disbelief, rather than dismissal (cf. to get away at get v. Phrasal verbs 1).
Feb 17, 2019 · bloody (adj.) It has been a British intensive swear word at least since 1676. Weekley relates it to the purely intensive use of the cognate Dutch bloed, German Blut. But perhaps it ultimately is connected with bloods in the slang sense of "rowdy young aristocrats" (see blood (n.)) via expressions such as bloody drunk "as drunk as a blood."
Dec 2, 2010 · 5. It means "they" are the best (of their kind) that could be found, but that doesn't mean they are very good. It is like saying "this wine is the best of a poor vintage" or that someone is "the smartest one in the remedial program": hardly a compliment. Such a statement could also be called "damning with faint praise." Share.
