Also 3–6 blote, 7 bloate. [The spelling bloat occurs in this sense earlier than in that of next word, with which this is often identified, though in the present state of our knowledge it is safer to keep them distinct. The ME. blote is perhaps identical with ON. blaut-r in the sense ‘soft with moisture, soaked, wet’; or from a parallel form *blót-: cf. the ME. vb. blotne, ON. blotna to soften, moisten (see BLOTEN), also Sw. blöt soft, moist, yielding. But it would also answer in form to OE. blát ‘livid, pale,’ though this sense is less likely. Sense 2 recalls ON. blautr fiskr, i.e., ‘soft fish,’ applied to ‘fresh’ fish, but in Sw. blöt fisk, to ‘soaked’ fish (Vigf.). Though evidence of actual connection is wanting, it is conjectured that the Eng. ‘bloat herring’ is, in some way, identical with these, and means, etymologically, either ‘soft (moist) herring,’ in opposition to ‘dried,’ or else ‘soaked, steeped herring,’ in reference to part of the process of curing the herrings so termed. In Act 18 Chas. II. ii. ‘bloated’ is opposed to ‘dried,’ and it is explained by Blount as ‘half-dried’; but most of the quotations give it as meaning (in actual use) ‘smoked,’ (smoking being an important part of the process). One at least (1613 below) appears to identify it with ‘puffed up,’ and thus with sense 2 of the next word, whereas Sylvester, in 1616, says ‘Herrings shrink in bloating’; but moist herrings are naturally plumper than those more thoroughly dried. See also next word, and BLOAT v.1]
† 1. ? Soft with moisture (or ? livid, pale). Obs.
c. 1300. Of Men Lif, xiii., in E. E. P. (1862), 154. Ȝe sutters [? suters = sutors] … wiþ ȝour blote hides of selcuþ bestis.
2. Bloat herring: a smoked half-dried herring, cured by the process described in BLOAT v.1; a bloated herring, a bloater. Also a term of contempt for a human being. ? Obs.
a. 1586. Sidney, Remed. for Love, 65 (Grosart II. 176). Her compound, or electuary, Made of olde linge or caviarie, Blote herringe, cheese.
1602. Dekker, Satirom., 245. Bloate herring dost heere?
a. 1613. Overbury, A Wife (1638), 177. He’l bee puft up to your hand like a bloat Herring.
1621. B. Jonson, Masque Augurs. You stink like so many bloat-herrings newly taken out of the chimney!
1661. Pepys, Diary, 5 Oct. To the Dolphin, and there eat some bloat herrings.
