2007-12-10 14:22:18 · 4 answers · asked by John 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
The British consider it foul language. It's history is possibly that it is derived from the expression "by the lady Mary" and is in that case, a matter of taking the Madonna's name "in vain". Christians frown on that sort of thing. Blimey could be derived from that expression as well. But it may well be that actually neither of them really come from that expression.
You have to remember the British propensity for slurring sounds together so much that they just leave many out completely. Worcester is pronounced "Wooster" and Cholmondeley is "Chumly", etc
2007-12-10 14:37:36 · answer #1 · answered by treebird 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The etymology of 'bloody' is uncertain, though some think it's a contraction of 'by Our Lady', and a usage like this does occur in Shakespeare. There are many contractions involving sacred names which become 'disguised' in this way. For example, 'blimey' is a contraction of the oath 'God blind me' (e.g. 'God blind me if I'm telling a lie'), which survives today as 'gor blimey' or 'cor blimey'. 'Zounds!' is a contraction of 'God's wounds', 'strewth!' is 'God's truth!', 'crikey' is from 'Christ', and so on.
2007-12-11 03:34:48 · answer #2 · answered by kinning_park 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's an intensifier, like the use of "damn" or "damned" in many cases.
It doesn't really "mean" anything, and isn't to be taken literally in any sense at all (just like the words "damn" or "damned")
2007-12-10 22:25:26 · answer #3 · answered by FourArrows 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The use of it in this tense is vulgar and abusive. There is no meaning.
2007-12-11 10:31:45 · answer #4 · answered by jupiteress 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋