Forms: 4 blasfeme(n, 5 -yn, (blasefleme), 7 blaspheam, 4– blaspheme. [ME. blasfeme-n, a. OF. blasfeme-r (= Pr., Sp. blasfemar), ad. L. blasphēmā-re, ad. Gr. βλασφημέειν to speak profanely, f. βλάσφημος evil speaking, blasphemous (-φημος speaking). Transferred to L. in the Vulgate and eccles. writers, and preserved liturgically in the modern langs. The same word became popular in late L. in sense of ‘revile, reproach,’ whence Romanic *blasimāre, It. biasimare, Pr. blasmar, F. blasmer, blåmer, Eng. blame.]
1. intr. To utter profane or impious words, talk profanely. Const. against (in Wyclif also in, upon).
1340. Ayenb., 30. Ha … blasfemeþ aye god and his halȝen.
1382. Wyclif, Mark iii. 29. He that shal blasfeme aȝeins [1611 blaspheme against] the Holy Gost. Ibid., Sel. Wks., III. 170. Ȝif freres by gabbingis blasfeme upon Crist. Ibid., 349. Þei blasfemen in Crist.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., 381. Then the soule began to blasefleme.
1595. Shaks., John, III. i. 161. Brother of England, you blaspheme in this.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 99, ¶ 7. One may tell another he whores, drinks, blasphemes.
1821. Byron, Cain, I. i. 35. Blaspheme not; these are serpents’ words.
1835. J. G. Dowling, Lett. Dr. Maitland, 17. They … blaspheme against the precious cross.
2. trans. To speak irreverently of, utter impiety against (God or anything sacred.)
1382. Wyclif, Isa. i. 4. Thei blasfemeden the hoeli of Irael.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 4 b. They not onely despysed hym, but also they blasphemed the holy goost.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., III. ii. 372. Blaspheming God, and cursing men on earth.
1795. Burke, Lett., Wks. VII. 350. He is ready to blaspheme his God, to insult his king.
1872. Ruskin, Eagle’s N., § 240. New foulness with which to blaspheme the story of Christ.
3. gen. To speak evil of, revile, calumniate, abuse.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sompn. T., 475. As that this olde cherl with lokkes hoore Blasphemed hath oure hooly Couent eke.
1605. Shaks., Macb., IV. iii. 108. Since that the truest Issue of thy Throne … do’s blaspheme his breed.
1654. Earl Orrery, Parthen. (1676), 327. As soon as this fatal news came to Pacorus’s knowledge, he blasphem’d them for it.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XIV. 462. While those who from our labours heap their board, Blaspheme their feeder and forget their lord.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, IV. 119. So they blaspheme the muse!
† b. intr. To rail, to utter words of abuse. rare.
a. 1592. Greene, Arbasto, vi. Doralicia chafed much in her choller, blaspheming bitterly both against me and her sister.
