bas bleu

British  

/ bɑ blø /

noun

1. a bluestocking; intellectual woman

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Etymology

Origin of bas bleu

C18: from French translation of English _bluestocking

Example Sentences

Au reste, she has nothing of the bas bleu about her, and is very quiet and agreeable.

From The Letters of Charles Dickens Vol. 1, 1833-1856 by Hogarth, Georgina

Greek, French, Italian, metaphysics, and private authorship—pretty well for a miss in her teens, and surely a promissory-note on the bas bleu joint-stock company!—a note which she discharged in full when it became due.

From Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 438 Volume 17, New Series, May 22, 1852 by Chambers, Robert

One is deemed a pedant—a terrible charge at Paris!—or a bas bleu, which is still worse, however free the individual may be from any pretensions to merit such charges.

From The Idler in France by Blessington, Marguerite, Countess of

He is himself a plain practical man, who has no sympathy with the bas bleu movement.

From Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama, Vol. 1 A Revised American Edition of the Reader's Handbook by Brewer, Ebenezer Cobham

She always reminds me of the pretty bas bleu immortalized by the 'Spectator'—or is it the 'Tattler'?

From Jessamine A Novel by Harland, Marion