Blade

Forms: 1 blæd, 4–5 blad, 5 bladde, blaad(e, blayd, 6 blaid, 3– blade. [Com. Teut.: OE. blæd, neut., (pl. blado, bladu) = OFris. bled, OS. blad (MDu. blat, Du. blad, LG. blad), OHG., MHG. blat (mod.G. blatt), ON. blað (Sw., Da. blad):—OTeut. *blado-(m; perh. a ppl. formation (with suffix -đo- do:- Aryan -tó-) from OTeut. verbal stem *blō-, see BLOW v.², cognate with L. flos. The long vowel in ME. and modern Eng. appears to be derived from the oblique cases and plural, blăd-es, blăd-o, made in ME. into blā-des, blā-de. The 15th-c. northern spellings blayd, blaid, and Chaucer’s dissyllabic blade, bladde, require explanation. The sense-history is notable: in German blatt is the general word for ‘leaf,’ laub being the foliage collectively of trees; in Norse ‘herbs or plants have blað, trees have lauf’; but in OE. léaf is the general word for ‘leaf’ and ‘foliage’; blæd occurs only once, (as it happens, poetically, in the brád blado of the plant of wickedness), and this sense is quite absent in ME., while that of the ‘blade’ of an oar (also in OE.), of a sword or knife, is frequent. It would almost seem then that the modern ‘blade’ of grass or corn is a later re-transfer from ‘sword-blade’; while in regard to corn, there is some reason to suspect influence of med.L. bladum, OF. bled corn, wheat; at least these were evidently supposed to be the same word. The mod.Sc. ‘cabbage-blade’ also is prob. not directly connected with the OE.; but Norse influence may possibly have contributed to a retention of the vegetable sense in the north.]

  I.  Of plants.

  1.  The leaf of a herb or plant; originally perhaps (as in Icelandic) applied to those of all herbs, while leaf was used of the foliage of trees. Now applied dial. (e.g., in south of Scotland) to a broad flat leaf, as the outer leaves of cabbage or lettuce, the leaves of rhubarb, tobacco, etc.; in literary Eng. only poetically and vaguely for ‘leaf.’

a. 1000.  Cædmon’s Gen. (Gr.), 994. Brád blado.

1785.  Burns, Dr. Hornbook, xix. In a kail-blade … send it.

1864.  Swinburne, Atalanta, 1357. The low lying melilote And all of goodliest blade and bloom that springs.

1877.  Bryant, Lit. People of Snow, 350. In shape like blades and blossoms of the field.

  2.  spec. The flat lanceolate leaves of grass and cereals; esp. such as spring from the root and appear first above ground; also the whole of such plants before the spike or ear appears. (Cf. 4: botanically the leaves of grass are all ‘blade.’)

c. 1450.  Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, Voc., 583. Festuca, the blaad of corn or a strawe.

1523.  Fitzherb., Husb., § 84. Red wheate … is the greatteste corne, and the brodeste blades, and the greattest strawe.

1577.  B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., I. 27. The eare … fyrst appeareth enclosed in the blade.

1597.  Gerard, Herbal, I. xl. From whence shoot foorth grassie blades or leaues.

1611.  Bible, Mark iv. 28. First the blade, then the eare, after that the full corne in the eare.

1670.  Janua Ling., xii. § 92. Corn raiseth it self up into a blade.

1727.  Swift, Gulliver, II. vii. Who ever could make two ears of corn, or two blades of grass, to grow … where only one grew before, would deserve better of mankind … than the whole race of politicians.

1849.  Robertson, Serm., Ser. I. ii. (1866), 37. Disappointed at the delay which ensues before the blade breaks the soil.

  b.  In the blade: while there is as yet only blade or leaf, not yet in the ear. Also fig.

1584.  R. Scot, Discov. Witchcr., I. iv. Transferre corne in the blade from one place to another.

1589.  Pappe w. Hatchet, D iij b. Vnripened youthes, whose wisedomes are yet in the blade.

1601.  Shaks., All’s Well, V. iii. 6. Naturall rebellion done i’th blade of youth.

1834.  Pringle, Afr. Sk., xiv. 472. His corn was in the blade.

1847.  Tennyson, Princess, I. 31. I had been, While life was yet in bud and blade, betroth’d.

  † c.  The grassy leaves of other endogens. Obs.

1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, II. xxxvi. 195. The small floure Deluce, hath narrow long blades, almost like the leaues of the right Gladyn. Ibid., V. lxxiii. 640. Onyon hath leaues or blades almost like garlike.

1585.  Lloyd, Treas. Health, Qj. Take borage and leke blades.

1611.  Guillim, Heraldrie, III. x. 115. The field is sable, three Lilies slipped, their … blades argent.

  † d.  Corn, growing corn, corn-crop. Obs. [Taken as a translation of med.L. bladum, F. bled, blé.]

1553.  Eden, Treat. New Ind. (Arb.), 26. Nere vnto the citie of Caigui groweth plentie of blade and ryce. Ibid. (1555), Decades W. Ind., II. ix. (Arb.), 130. Lykewyse blades, settes, slippes, grasses, suger canes.

  † 3.  ? A pointed shoot or ‘spire’ of any plant. Obs.

c. 1440.  Anc. Cookery, in Househ. Ord. (1790), 445. Take the blades of fenell.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 37. Blade of an herbe [1499 blad or blade], tirsus.

1552.  Huloet, Blade of a chiboll or oynion, talia.

1570.  Levins, Manip., 8. Blade of an herb, talia.

1634.  T. Horne, Janua Ling., Index post., The blade of an hearb, talea.

  † b.  Applied by Grew to the ‘style’ of composite flowers. Obs.

1674.  Grew, Anat. Plants, V. § 20. The Sheath, after some time, dividing at the top, from within its Concave the Third and innermost part of the Suit, sc. the Blade, advances and displays itself.

  4.  Bot. The broad, thin, expanded part of a leaf, as opposed to the petiole or foot-stalk; the lamina or limb; also the corresponding part of a petal.

1835.  Lindley, Introd. Bot. (1848), I. 260. The Blade … is subject to many diversities of figure and division.

1870.  Hooker, Stud. Flora, 52. Petals with an appendage at the base of the blade.

1872.  Oliver, Elem. Bot., I. i. 5. Foliage-leaves … consist of petiole and blade, or of blade only; the blade being spread out horizontally.

  II.  Of other things.

  5.  The broad, flattened, leaf-like part (as distinguished from the shank or handle) of any instrument or utensil, as a paddle, oar, battledore, bat, spade, forceps; from that of a paddle or oar (a very ancient sense) extended to the parts of a whale’s tail, a paddle wheel, or screw propeller, which act similarly upon the water.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, Voc., 167. Palmula, roðres blæd.

c. 1050.  Ags. Gloss., ibid., 182. Palmula, arblæd.

1674.  Petty, Disc. bef. R. Soc., 59. Suppose, that the Oars remain the same length, but that the Blade be doubled.

1770.  Robertson, in Phil. Trans., LX. 321. The tail, as in all the whale tribe, was placed horizontal a little forked; the blades were of a wedge shape, and fourteen feet from tip to tip.

1835.  Todd, Cycl. Anat. & Phys., I. 224/2. Seized between the blades of a forceps.

1854.  G. B. Richardson, Univ. Code, v. 7602. How many blades have you to screw propeller?

1880.  V. L. Cameron, Our Future Highway, II. xiii. 274. A spade with a blade the size of the palm of one’s hand seemed to be almost too heavy for the man who used it.

1886.  Holmes, Mortal Antip., ii. Their blades flashed through the water.

  b.  The front flat part of the tongue.

1877.  Sweet, Handbk. Phonetics, 2. Of the tongue we distinguish … the ‘blade’ which includes the upper surface of the tongue immediately behind the point. ‘Lower blade’ implies … the lower … surface. Ibid., 48. A blade consonant rather advanced.

  6.  The thin cutting part of an edged tool or weapon, as distinguished from the handle.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron., I. 350. Caliborne, þat gode brond Ten fote longe was þen þe blade.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Reeves T., 10. And of a swerd ful trenchaunt was the blade.

c. 1450.  Nominale, in Wr.-Wülcker, Voc., 735. Sindula, a blayd [among parts of a knife].

1530.  Palsgr., 198/2. Blade of a knyfe, alumelle.

1611.  Bible, Judges iii. 22. The haft also went in after the blade.

1677.  Moxon, Mech. Exerc. (1703), 114. Pricker. Is vulgarly called an Awl: Yet … it hath most commonly a square blade, which enters the Wood better than a round blade will.

1720.  Lond. Gaz., No. 5852/12. Lost … a … Sword … the Blade a little rusty.

1831.  J. Holland, Manuf. Metals, I. 280. A penknife blade is formed at two heats.

1849–52.  Todd, Cycl. Anat. & Phys., IV. 913. The blade of the sutorial tooth.

1880.  Birdwood, Ind. Art, II. 3. The blades of Damascus … were in fact of Indian iron.

  7.  The blade being the essential part of such weapons, etc., is often put for the whole, esp. in poetry and literary language.

c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., B. 1105. Nauþer to cout ne to kerue, with knyf ne wyth egge, For-þy brek he þe bred blades wythouten.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Prol., 618. A long surcote of pers vp on he hade [v.r. haade, hadde] And by his syde he baar a rusty blade [So 4 MSS.; v.r. blaade, bladde].

c. 1460.  Towneley Myst. 40. The shynyng of youre bright blayde It gars me quake for ferd to dee.

1583.  Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 23. Theyre blades they brandisht.

1599.  Shaks., Much Ado, V. i. 190. You breake iests as braggards do their blades.

1776.  Gibbon, Decl. & F., I. 13. He drew his sword … a short well-tempered Spanish blade.

1832.  Macaulay, Armada, 28. Ho! gunners, fire a loud salute: ho! gallants, draw your blades.

  b.  fig. (Cf. weapon.)

1692.  A. Pitcairne, Babell, 287. He did his trustie tongue unsheath … It was a hlade that he could trust.

1735.  Oldys, Life Ralegh, Wks. 1829, I. I. 384. Cecil, on the other side, played a smooth edge upon Ralegh throughout the trial; his blade seemed ever anointed with the balsam of compliment or apology.

  8.  a. A broad flattened bone or part of a bone, as the cheek blades, jaw-blades; esp. the flat, triangular-shaped bone of the shoulder called the shoulder-blade or blade-bone, the scapula; also the corresponding bone of the fore leg of animals. b. One of the scythe-shaped plates in which whalebone occurs.

a. 1300.  Havelok, 2644. Bi the shudre-blade The sharpe swerd let wade.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. xxvi. (1495), 135. Sholder blades ben … hight blades for they ben shape as a brode swerde.

1535.  Coverdale, Tob. vi. 3. Take him by the cheke blade, and drawe him to the.

1600.  Chapman, Iliad, V. 577. Atrides’ lance did gore Pylemens shoulder in the blade.

1663.  Butler, Hud., I. i. 20. Nor put up Blow, but that which laid Right worshipful on Shoulder-blade.

1802.  Bingley, Anim. Biog. (1813), II. 22. A Whale, the longest blade of whose mouth measures nine or ten feet.

1878.  J. Marshall, Anat. Artists, 17. The two scapulæ, shoulder bones, or blade-bones.

  9.  Used of other things; as a blade of mace.

1653.  Walton, Angler, 158. Mixt, with a blade or two of Mace.

1677.  Moxon, Mech. Exerc. (1703), 231. Put the blades of the Quadrants into two Slits.

a. 1718.  Penn, Tracts, Wks. 1726, I. 498. That he ever took … one Clove, Nutmeg, Blade of Mace, or Skain of Silk … I utterly deny.

1825.  S. & S. Adams, Compl. Servant, 97. Put a blade of mace, and a quartered nutmeg into a quart of cream.

1856.  Kane, Arct. Expl., II. i. 17. Take a blade of bone, and scrape off all the ice from your furs.

  10.  Senses of doubtful origin: a. Arch.

1851.  Dict. Archit., Blade, a word sometimes applied, as well as Back, to the principal rafter of a roof.

1879.  Shropshire Gloss. (E. D. S.), Blade, that timber in a roof which goes at an angle from the top of the ‘king-post’ to the beam of the ‘principal.’

  † b.  A staff, pole, shaft. Also found as blede.

1559.  Wills & Inv. N. C. (1853), 170. Two long wayne blayds … 9 ashilltresse and a plowe.

1627.  Jackson, Creed, VII. xviii. § 12. To receive the prize, or (as the original word imports) to snatch it from the blede or staff whereto they run.

  † c.  Blades: a spindle for winding yarn upon.

c. 1475.  Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, Voc., 794. Hoc girgillum, a bladys. Hic virgillus, a yerwyndylleblad.

1530.  Palsgr., 184. Vnes tournettes, a payre of wyndynge blades. Ibid., 646. I ontwyne yarne of the spyndel or blades.

1552.  Huloet, Blades or yarne wyndles, an instrumente of huswyfery, girgillus, volutorium.

  III.  Applied to a man. [Prob. connected with senses 6, 7, though whether as a fig. use of these, or as a wielder of a blade, does not appear from the 83 earliest quotations examined.]

  11.  A gallant, a free-and-easy fellow, a good fellow; ‘fellow,’ generally familiarly laudatory, sometimes good-naturedly contemptuous. (The original sense is difficult to seize: Bailey 1730 says, ‘a bravo, an Hector; also a spruce fellow, a beau’; Johnson ‘a brisk man, either fierce or gay, called so in contempt.’) (Now colloquial or slangy: in literature, chiefly a reminiscence of last century.)

1592.  Shaks., Rom. & Jul., II. iv. 31. By Iesu a very good blade, a very tall man.

1640.  Nabbes, Bride, II. i. Go carry the blades in the Lion a pottle of Sack from me.

1658.  Ussher, Ann., 159. Sending for such … as he knew to be blades, and had good hearts and head-peeces of their owne.

1667.  Pepys, Diary (1879), IV. 354. As the present fashion among the blades is.

1705.  Hickeringill, Priest-cr., II. v. 57. These are the Blades must do all, though they do all ill.

1760.  Lond. Mag., XXIX. 224. Gentlemen of the town, as a sort of Blades may be well y’clep’d.

1818.  Cobbett, Resid. U. S. (1822), 354. A blade whom I took for a decent tailor.

  b.  usually taking force and color from an attribute: e.g., brave, stout, gallant, fighting, swaggering, swashing, bullying, blustering, dashing, rattling, roaring, roistering, jolly, lively, wild, comical, fantastical, cynical, crafty, knowing, saucy, worthy, old, young, etc.

c. 1600.  Rob. Hood (Ritson), II. vi. 73. This is a mad blade, the butchers then said.

1629.  Ford, Lover’s Melanch., I. ii. (1839), 4. He’s an honest blade, though he be blunt.

1646.  Evelyn, Mem. (1857), I. 243. A true old blade, and had been a very curious virtuoso, [etc.].

1649.  C. Walker, Hist. Indep., II. 184. Those free spirited Blades whom Oliver raised into a Mutiny.

1682.  N. O., trans. Boileau’s Lutrin, I. Argt. 2. Three swashing Blades.

1714.  Ellwood, Autobiog. (1765), 143. These two Baptists were topping Blades.

1726.  Amherst, Terræ Filius, 185. [In] All-Souls college one afternoon, several jovial blades … were sitting there over a pipe and a bottle.

1779.  Johnson, Lett., II. ccxviii. 75. When we meet we will be jolly blades.

1818.  Scott, Hrt. Midl., i. Two dashing young blades.

1822.  W. Irving, Braceb. Hall, I. ix. 83. When a youngster, he was one of the most roaring blades of the neighbourhood.

1840.  Dickens, Barn. Rudge, v. He’s a knowing blade.

1857.  Sir F. Palgrave, Norm. & Eng., II. 443. The clever old crafty blade spoke out with … a thorough knowledge.

  c.  sometimes with local or official attribute.

c. 1626.  Dick of Devon, II. i. in Bullen, O. Pl., II. 26. My Devonshire blade, honest Dick Pike.

1638.  Suckling, Goblins, in Fragm. Aur. (1646), 35. [He] askes much after certaine Brittish blades, One Shakespeare and Fletcher.

1663.  Hist. Cromwell, in Select. Harl. Misc. (1793), 367. [Cromwell] packs up a juncto of army blades … who constitute a high court of justice.

1755.  Carte, Hist. Eng., IV. 406. Exposed to any sudden attempt from … the Buckinghamshire blades.

1882.  J. Greenwood, Tag, Rag & Co., xiii. 106. Adventures of a keen Yorkshire blade.

  IV.  12. Comb. and Attrib., as blade-forger, -metal, -mill, -smith, etc.; blade-like, -wise adj. and adv.; also blade-bone, the shoulder-blade, the corresponding bone of animals and ‘joint’ of meat; blade-fish, one of the Ribbon-fishes (Trichiurus lepturus).

a. 1678.  Marvell, Life, Wks. 1776, III. 463. I shall have the sweet *blade-bone broiled.

1845.  Disraeli, Sybil, III. iv. A deformity occasioned by the displacement of the bladebone.

1831.  J. Holland, Manuf. Metals, I. 300. Hammers … used by the *blade-forgers.

1859.  Todd, Cycl. Anat. & Phys., V. 157/1. The shaft being long and *blade-like.

1645.  Milton, Colast., Wks. (1851), 357. The men of Toledo had store of good *blade-mettle.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, V. 1592. Bochers, *bladsmythis, baxters.

1569.  Wills & Inv. N. C., I. (1835), 301. John Tedcastle of Gatisheid, blaidsmith.