Victorian Slang of the Week

Volume 1, A-G, J.E.Lighter Editor

Wow, I can’t believe I missed this one: Blast/blasted: Blast: 1) a drink of liquor. This had only one reference, though, so it doesn’t seem all that common. 2) to damn or curse. as early as 1634. There are 5 19th century references. For purposes of definition: “Blast him for being so stubborn”. Also, “God blast her”.

Blasted: damned. This one appears to be used quite a bit more often, from 1817 on with five references in my handy-dandy slang dictionary.