Bluestocking

Bluestocking
Bluestocking Blue"stock`ing, n. 1. A literary lady; a female pedant. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

Note: As explained in Boswell's ``Life of Dr. Johnson'', this term is derived from the name given to certain meetings held by ladies, in Johnson's time, for conversation with distinguished literary men. An eminent attendant of these assemblies was a Mr. Stillingfleet, who always wore blue stockings. He was so much distinguished for his conversational powers that his absence at any time was felt to be a great loss, so that the remark became common, ``We can do nothing without the blue stockings.'' Hence these meetings were sportively called bluestocking clubs, and the ladies who attended them, bluestockings. [1913 Webster]

2. (Zo["o]l.) The American avocet ({Recurvirostra Americana}). [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • bluestocking — An intellectual woman is a bluestocking …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • bluestocking — also blue stocking, 1790, derisive word for a woman considered too learned, traces to a London literary salon founded c.1750 by Elizabeth Montagu on the Parisian model, featuring intellectual discussion instead of card games, and in place of… …   Etymology dictionary

  • bluestocking — (izg. blȗstōking) ž DEFINICIJA knjiš. 1. u Engleskoj naziv za ženske grupe koje su se sredinom 18. st. sastajale u salonima gdje se s pozivanim književnicima i uglednicima raspravljalo o književnosti i umjetnosti 2. pren. pejor. zast. žena… …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • bluestocking — ► NOUN often derogatory ▪ an intellectual or literary woman. ORIGIN in reference to literary parties held in London around 1750 by three society ladies, where some of the men favoured less formal dress (blue worsted stockings as opposed to the… …   English terms dictionary

  • bluestocking — [blo͞o′stäk΄iŋ] n. [from the unconventional blue (instead of black) stockings worn by Benjamin Stillingfleet at literary meetings in the home of Mrs. E. R. Montagu in London in the 1750s] a learned, bookish, or pedantic woman …   English World dictionary

  • Bluestocking — For other uses, see Bluestocking (disambiguation). Caricature of blue stockings by Rowlandson A bluestocking is an educated, intellectual woman. Until the late 18th century, the term had referred to learned people of both sexes.[1] However it… …   Wikipedia

  • bluestocking — bluestockingism, n. /blooh stok ing/, n. 1. a woman with considerable scholarly, literary, or intellectual ability or interest. 2. a member of a mid 18th century London literary circle: Lady Montagu was a celebrated bluestocking. [1675 85; so… …   Universalium

  • bluestocking — UK [ˈbluːˌstɒkɪŋ] / US [ˈbluˌstɑkɪŋ] noun [countable] Word forms bluestocking : singular bluestocking plural bluestockings British old fashioned, showing disapproval an educated woman who is interested in serious subjects …   English dictionary

  • bluestocking — Blue Blue (bl[=u]), a. [Compar. {Bluer} (bl[=u] [ e]r); superl. {Bluest}.] [OE. bla, blo, blew, blue, livid, black, fr. Icel.bl[=a]r livid; akin to Dan. blaa blue, Sw. bl[*a], D. blauw, OHG. bl[=a]o, G. blau; but influenced in form by F. bleu,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • bluestocking — noun Etymology: Bluestocking society, 18th century literary clubs Date: 1790 a woman having intellectual or literary interests …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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