subs. phr. (common).—1. Dejection; lowness of spirits; hypochondria; Fr. s’emboucaner, and s’encoliflucheter. Hence such derivatives as BLUE DEVILAGE, BLUE DEVILRY, BILE DEVILISM, and BLUE DEVILLY.
1786. COWPER, Letters, No. 219, II., 143 (ed. 1834). I have not that which commonly is a symptom of such a case belonging to me,—I mean extraordinary elevation in the absence of Mr. BLUEDEVIL. When I am in the best health, my tide of animal sprightliness flows with great equality.
1790. W. B. RHODES, Bombastes Furioso, Sc. 1.
| Or, dropping poisons in the cup of joy, | |
| Do the BLUE DEVILS your repose annoy? |
1809. MALKIN, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE], 105. What BLUE DEVIL has perched upon your shoulder in my absence? You look gloomy and out of temper.
1871. PLANCHÉ, King Christmas. There are BLUE DEVILS which defy blue pills.
1880. G. R. SIMS, Three Brass Balls, Pledge iii. He got discontented and had fits of BLUE DEVILS.
2. (common).—Delirium tremens: also BLUES with derivatives as in sense 1.
1818–9. COBBETT, A Year’s Residence in the United States of America, 45. Just the weather to give drunkards the ‘BLUE DEVILS.’
1831. SCOTT, Demonology, i., 18. They, by a continued series of intoxication, became subject to what is popularly called the BLUE DEVILS.
1871. LOCKHART, Fair to See, I., 208. On the lower hills the pine-trees loomed through stagnant mists with a dejected and BLUE-DEVILLY aspect.
