Forms: 3 blasphemie, 4 blasfemie, -y(e, blasfamye, blassefemy, 4–6 blasphemye, (5 blaseflemy), 6–7 blasphemie, 7 blasfemy, 5– blasphemy. [ME. blasfemie, blasphemie, a. OF. blasfemie, a learned adaptation of L. blasphēmia:—Gr. βλασφημία slander, blasphemy, abstr, sb. f. βλάσφημος BLASPHEMOUS. In Spenser accented blasphe·my (F. Q., VI. xii. 25). Cf. BLASPHEME sb.2]
1. Profane speaking of God or sacred things; impious irreverence.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 198. Þe seoueðe hweolp is Blasphemie. Þisses hweolpes nurice is þe þet swereð greate oðes.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1661. Þenne blynnes he not of blasfemy on to blame þe dryȝtyn.
1488. Caxton, Chast. Goddes Chyld., 46. Some haue fallen in to blasphemie whiche ben they that speken unhonestly of god.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 118 b. Mocyons of infidelite, and blasphemyes.
1659. Milton, Civil Power in Eccl. Causes, Wks. 1738, I. 548. Blasphemy or evil speaking against God maliciously.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., IV. 59. Blasphemy against the Almighty, by denying his being or providence.
1853. Robertson, Serm., Ser. IV. v. (1876), 64. It is all blasphemy; an impious intrusion upon the prerogatives of the One Absolver.
b. fig. (against anything held ‘sacred.’)
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. ii. § 9 (1873), 17. He was well punished for his blasphemy against learning.
1873. Morley, Rousseau, I. 165. You are drawing an indictment against nature,—no trifling blasphemy in those days.
1875. Hamerton, Intell. Life, IX. i. 302. This doctrine sounds like blasphemy against friendship.
† 2. gen. Slander, evil speaking, defamation. Obs.
1656. Whalley, in Burton, Diary (1808), I. 103. To speak evil of any man is blasphemy.
a. 1656. Bp. Hall, Tracts, 5. Blasphemy … is a blasting the fame or blaming of another.
† b. transf. A thing evil spoken of, an occasion of evil speaking. Obs.
1609. Bible (Douay), Ezek. v. 15. Thou shalt be a reproch, and blasphemie.
3. Comb.
1828. E. Irving, Last Days, 68. A blasphemy-enduring ear.
