adj. (common).—Used up; exhausted with enjoyment; satiated. [From French blaser, of unknown derivation.] Its extended colloquial use in England is explained in second quotation.
1823. BYRON, Don Juan, xii., st. 81.
| A little ‘BLASÉ’—’t is not to be wonder’d | |
| At, that his heart had got a tougher rind: | |
| And though not vainer from his past success, | |
| No doubt his sensibilities were less. |
1883. G. A. SALA, Illustrated London News, March 10, 235, col. 3. There should be a chronology of slang. It is about forty years ago, I think, that the great popularity of a French farce called ‘L’Homme BLASÉ’ brought the word into colloquial use in England; indeed the first translation of the French piece (at the Princess’s, Wright, the low comedian, playing the hero,) was called BLASÉ, with some sub-title that I forget. Subsequently another translation was produced, Charles Mathews playing the principal character. As a title for this version, we borrowed a slang term from the Americans, and ‘L’Homme BLASÉ’ became ‘Used Up’!
