sb. Sc. Also bleflum, blephum, blawflum, blafum. Deception, imposition, hoax.
a. 1661. Rutherford, Lett. (1765), I. ii. (Jam.). Many … when they go to take out their faith, they take out a fair nothing … a bleflume.
a. 1662. R. Baillie, Lett. (1775), I. 201 (Jam.). All his act was but a blephum.
1788. E. Picken, Poems, 63 (Jam.). Fine blaw-flums o’ teas That grow abroad.
1880. Patterson, Antrim & Down Gloss. (E. D. S.), Blaflum, blafum, nonsense; something said to mislead.
Hence Blaflumry, blaeflummery.
1819. A. Balfour, Campbell, I. 328 (Jam.). A’ that blaeflummery that’s makin sic a haliballoo in the warld.
