blue murder

/'blu:'mə:də/

Thân thiện

She screamed blue murder when she saw the spider.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • An extremely loud, vehement, or exaggerated outcry or protest: The phrase "blue murder" refers to a very loud and often dramatic shout, scream, or complaint, typically expressing great alarm, pain, or anger. It is almost always used in the fixed phrase "scream/shout/yell blue murder."

Usage

• The term is used idiomatically to describe a reaction that is disproportionately loud or frantic compared to the situation.
• It is almost exclusively used in the pattern: verb (scream, shout, cry, etc.) + blue murder.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• The phrase can sometimes imply a protest or complaint that is seen as unreasonable or overly dramatic.
  • The manager cried blue murder over a tiny mistake in the report.

Variants and Related Words

• Like blue murder (adverbial phrase, chiefly British, informal): With great speed or intensity.
  • He ran down the street like blue murder.

Synonyms

• A huge fuss: A great deal of unnecessary excitement or complaint.
• An uproar: A loud and impassioned noise or disturbance.
• A racket: A loud, unpleasant noise.

Related Idioms

• Scream bloody murder: This is a more common variant in American English with an identical meaning.
  • She screamed bloody murder when she saw the spider.

Học thuật

Noun

1. an extravagantly loud outcry
   • she screamed blue murder