英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

blackout (n.)[blackout 词源字典]: also black-out, 1908 in the theatrical sense of a darkened stage, from black + out. Figurative sense of "loss of memory" is 1934 (verb and noun); as a dousing of lights as an air raid precaution, it is recorded from 1935. Verbal phrase black out, in reference to printed or written matter deemed objectionable and covered in black ink, is attested from 1888.[blackout etymology, blackout origin, 英语词源]
blacksmith (n.): late 15c. (mid-13c. as a surname), from black + smith (n.). Listed in royal ordinance (along with bladesmiths, spurriers and goldbeaters). Those who work in heated, heavy metals as opposed to those who beat gold, tin, or pewter (whitesmith).
blacktop (n.): road resurfacing material, 1931, American English, from black (adj.) + top (n.1).
bladder (n.): Old English blædre (West Saxon), bledre (Anglian) "(urinary) bladder," also "blister, pimple," from Proto-Germanic *blaedron (cognates: Old Norse blaðra, Old Saxon bladara, Old High German blattara, German Blatter, Dutch blaar), from PIE *bhle- "to blow" (see blast). Extended senses from early 13c. from animal bladders used for buoyancy, storage, etc.
blade (n.): Old English blæd "a leaf," but also "a leaf-like part" (of spade, oar, etc.), from Proto-Germanic *bladaz (cognates: Old Frisian bled "leaf," German Blatt, Old Saxon, Danish, Dutch blad, Old Norse blað), from PIE *bhle-to-, suffixed form (past participle) of *bhel- (3) "to thrive, bloom," possibly identical with *bhel- (2) "to blow, swell" (see bole). Extended in Middle English to shoulders (c. 1300) and swords (early 14c.). The modern use in reference to grass may be a Middle English revival, by influence of Old French bled "corn, wheat" (11c., perhaps from Germanic). The cognate in German, Blatt, is the general word for "leaf;" Laub is used collectively as "foliage." Old Norse blað was used of herbs and plants, lauf in reference to trees. This might have been the original distinction in Old English, too. Of men from 1590s; in later use often a reference to 18c. gallants, but the original exact sense, and thus signification, is uncertain.
blah (n.): "idle, meaningless talk," 1918, probably echoic; the adjective meaning "bland, dull" is from 1919, perhaps influenced by French blasé "bored, indifferent." The blahs "depression" is attested by 1966.
blain (n.): Old English blegen "a sore," from Proto-Germanic *blajinon "a swelling" (cognates: Danish blegn, Dutch blein), from PIE *bhlei- "to swell," from root *bhel- (2) "to blow, inflate, swell;" see bole.
blaise: Scottish variant of blaze.
blame (v.): c. 1200, "find fault with;" c. 1300, "lay blame on," from Old French blasmer (12c., Modern French blâmer) "to rebuke, reprimand, condemn, criticize," from Vulgar Latin *blastemare, from Late Latin blasphemare "revile, reproach" (see blaspheme). Replaced Old English witan with long "i." Related: Blamed; blaming.
blame (n.): early 13c., from Old French blasme "blame, reproach; condemnation," a back-formation from blasmer (see blame (v.)).
blamed (adv.): "confoundedly" 1833, later also as an adjective, from past participle of blame (v.), as a "euphemistic evasion of the horrible word damn." [Bartlett, "Dictionary of Americanisms," 1848].
This adjective 'blamed' is the virtuous oath by which simple people, who are improving their habits, cure themselves of a stronger epithet. [Edward Everett Hale, "If, Yes, and Perhaps," 1868]
Compare also blamenation (1837) as an expletive. The imprecation blame me is attested from 1830.
blameless (adj.): late 14c., from blame (n.) + -less. Related: Blamelessly; blamelessness. Seldom-used blameful is recorded from late 14c.
blameworthy (adj.): also blame-worthy, late 14c., from blame (n.) + worthy (adj.). Related: Blameworthiness.
blanch (v.1): c. 1400, transitive, "to make white, turn pale," from Old French blanchir "to whiten, wash," from blanc "white" (11c.; see blank (adj.)). Originally "to remove the hull of (almonds, etc.) by soaking." Intransitive sense of "to turn white" is from 1768. Related: Blanched; blanching.
blanch (v.2): "to start back, turn aside," 1570s, variant of blench. Related: Blanched; blanching.
Blanche: fem. proper name, from French Blanche, from Old French blanc "white," of Germanic origin (see blank (adj.)). A fairly popular name for girls born in the U.S. from about 1880 to 1900.
blancmange (n.): late 14c., from Old French blancmengier (13c.), literally "white eating," originally a dish of fowl minced with cream, rice, almonds, sugar, eggs, etc.; from blanc "white" (also used in Old French of white foods, such as eggs, cream, also white meats such as veal and chicken; see blank (adj.)) + mangier "to eat" (see manger).
bland (adj.): 1660s, from Italian blando "delicate," or Old French bland "flattering, complimentary," both from Latin blandus "smooth-talking, flattering, alluring," perhaps from PIE *mlad-, nasalized variant of *meld-, extended form of root *mel- (see melt). Related: Blandly; blandness. Latin also had blandiloquentulus "flattering in speech," which might have yielded a useful English *blandiloquent.
blandish (v.): c. 1300, from Old French blandiss-, present participle stem of blandir "to flatter, caress," from Latin blandiri "flatter, soothe, caress, coax," from blandus (see bland). OED reports it rare in 17c., 18c. Related: Blandished; blandishing.
blandishment (n.): "flattering speech," 1590s, from blandish + -ment. Sense of "attraction, allurement" (often blandishments) is from 1590s.