verb (common).—To curse; to damn; hence ‘blest if I do’ = ‘damned if I will.’ Also BLESSED (or BLEST) often used ironically, and = ‘cursed.’
1806. WINDHAM, Let. in Speeches (1812), I., 77. As one of the happy consequences of our BLESSED system of printing debates, I am described to-day … as having talked a language directly the reverse of that which I did talk.
1876. C. HINDLEY, ed. The Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack, 139. One Maidstone Fair time I saw one of the gipsy Lees called ‘Jemmy’ fighting with a man much bigger than himself. Tom Rosseter, the mumper, was seconding his brother-in-law, Jemmy Lee, when, as Jemmy kept throwing his man very heavily, he said, ‘My dear BLESSED brother, don’t throw the BLESSED man like that, or you will be sure to kill him.’ ‘Well,’ said Jemmy, ‘but my dear BLESSED brother, if I don’t kill the dear BLESSED man, why the big BLESSED —— will be sure to kill me, and so I must keep on throwing the dear BLESSED man, for you see what a BLESSED, big dear fellow he is to me.’
1877. W. H. THOMSON, Five Years’ Penal Servitude, iii. 245. They called in the coppers, and some feller in the shop twigged my old girl as one he’d a-seen before, and BLESSED if they didn’t identify her as having lifted some things out of the shop, and she was pinched for seven ‘stretch.’
1882. Punch, Aug. 5, 49. Sir Pompey Bedell: ‘Oh!—er—Mr. Grigsby, I think! How d’ye do?’ [extending two fingers]. Grigsby: ‘I hope I see you well, Sir Pompey. And next time you give me two fingers, I’m BLEST if I don’t pull ’em off.’
1889. The Sporting Times, 6 July. St. Mannock.—Did you ever hear a still, small voice whispering over its morning shrimps, ‘What a pair of BLESSED fools you are!’
1899. R. WHITEING, No. 5 John Street, iv. Git out with yer; I don’t want no BLESSID tea.
TO BLESS ONESELF FROM, verb. phr. (old).—To have nothing to do with.
d. 1655. T. ADAMS, Works, T. ADAMS, Works, ii. 322. Simeon and Levi seemed to have just cause, the whoredom of their own sister, Gen. xxxiv. 31; yet their father calls them ‘brethren in evil’ for it, BLESSETH HIS HONOUR FROM their company, and his soul from their secrecy, Gen. xxxiv. 3.
c. 1659. MASSINGER, The City Madam, ii. 1.
| Since my master longs to be undone, | |
| The great fiend be his steward: I will pray, | |
| And BLESS MYSELF from him! |
TO BLESS ONE SELF, verb. phr. (common).—To be surprised; to be vexed; to be mortified: e.g., God BLESS me! BLESS my eyes! BLESS my soul! Lor’ BLESS me!
1592. SHAKESPEARE, Midsummer Night’s Dream, iv. 2. 11. Quin: Yea, and the best person too: and he is a very paramour, for a sweet voice. Flu: You must say, paragon: a paramour is, GOD BLESS US, a thing of nought.
d. 1655. T. ADAMS, The Black Saint, in Works, ii. 64. He … would BLESS HIMSELF to think that so little a thing could extend itself to such a capacity.
1692. J. HACKET, Life of Archbishop Williams, i. 84. Sir Francis BLESS’D HIMSELF to find such mercy from one whom he had so grievously provok’d.
1665. PEPYS, Diary, 1 April. How my Lord Treasurer did BLESS HIMSELF, crying he could do no more, etc.
c. 1702. W. DARREL, The Gentlemen Instructed, 476. ‘Sirrah,’ says the youngster, ‘make me a smart wig, a smart one, ye dog.’ The fellow BLEST HIMSELF; he had heard of a smart nag, a smart man, &c. but a smart wig was Chinese to the tradesman.
1759. STERNE, Tristram Shandy, xl. Rub your hands thrice across your foreheads—blow your nose—cleanse your emunctories—sneeze, my good people!—GOD BLESS YOU.
1814. AUSTEN, Mansfield Park, xviii. Could Sir Thomas look in upon us just now, he would BLESS HIMSELF, for we are rehearsing all over the house.
1843. DICKENS, A Christmas Carol, 77. ‘Why BLESS MY SOUL,’ cried Fred, ‘who’s that?’
1853. BULWER-LYTTON, My Novel, I., 307. After they had lain apart for a little while, very silent and sullen, John sneezed. ‘GOD BLESS YOU!’ says Joan, over the bolster.
NOT A PENNY [SIXPENCE, FARTHING, etc.] TO BLESS ONESELF WITH, phr. (common).—Utterly impecunious; ‘without a sou.’
1843. DICKENS, Martin Chuzzlewit, I., 237. He landed there WITHOUT A PENNY TO BLESS HIMSELF WITH.
1849. DICKENS, David Copperfield, I., 113. I heard that Mr. Mell was not a bad sort of fellow, but HADN’T A SIXPENCE TO BLESS HIMSELF WITH.
1851. H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, III., 55. The most of ’em AIN’T GOT A FARTHING TO BLESS THEMSELVES WITH.
1861. G. ELIOT, Silas Marner, 38. I HAVE NOT A SHILLING TO BLESS MYSELF WITH.
TO BLESS ONE’S STARS, verb. phr. (common).—To thank oneself; to attribute one’s good fortune to luck: generally in a ludicrous sense.
1845. HOOD, Pauper’s Christmas Carol, iii. Ought not I to BLESS MY STARS?
1877. W. H. THOMSON, Five Years’ Penal Servitude, iii. 230. Forty-eight marks! a week’s remission. The very thought made me savage, but I BLESSED MY STARS I had not lost my class, or my good berth.
