Body & Soul0 min ago
bloody hellfire
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Where doe the phrase "by the bloody hellfire" come from?
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'Hellfire' was originally a reference to the belief that sinners would spend eternity burning in the fires of hell. As such, it became an oath in the same way as 'bloody' did. Put together as 'Bloody hellfire!' they became doubly effective as swearing. (I must confess, I have never heard your version, opening with the words 'By the...')
The "bloody" bit may be a shortened form of "By Our Lady". See Wikipedia article.
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