What Kind Of Name Is Blue Streak?

Meaning of “Blue Streak” and other related “blue” facts. What could that blue first word mean? (thanks to Dictionary.com, The Word Detective, and Urban Dictionary):

(noun) A cool little blue racecar; fast and loud too
(noun) something moving very fast: “They traveled like a blue streak through Italy.”
(verb) To embelish the truth, just a little (“…to talk up a bluestreak”). [Blue Streak Car is a persona and humorous/satire advertising vehicle for comedic effect.]
(noun) continuous, rapid, or unending speech (“…to talk a blue streak”)
(verb) Run a blue streak (“I wrecked my dad’s car and he ran a blue streak on me.”)

Origin of the phrase “blue streak” as in “talk a blue streak” or “curse a blue streak”.

The word “blue” is a popular figure of speech. It ranks high in number and variety of uses. One could be sad with “the blues”. “Blues” music is about “blue” moments like losing one’s wife, or dog, etc. But, that musical term “blue” could refer to the use of “blue notes” that are 1/2-way between the traditional notes.

Also, there is “blue blood” that refers to royalty or high social class. But, that one started as just a reference to very light skin, which caused the blue, oxygen-rich blood in someone’s veins to be visible under their skin. Then, that brings us to the opposite of the blue-bloods. We can’t forget about “blue-collar” workers, named after the denim shirts that were once standard factory-worker clothing.

Towns in the U.S. used to enforce “blue laws” forbidding or restricting certain activities and purchases on Sundays. The origin of this term has been lost in translation since the time of the Puritans who seem to be the genesis of those laws. Humorously, on the other end of the spectrum, we have the slightly outdated adjective “blue” meaning “obscene”, which is traced to the 1820s. Funny, that word sense outdated “blue movies” by about a century. It’s possible, though, that “blue” in the “obscene” sense came from the term “blue laws” getting generalized to mean any kind of legislation by the censors.

You’ve probably heard of “blue chip” stocks. Take note that “blue chip”, meaning “top-ranked” or “best”, comes from the name applied to the highest denomination chips in the game of poker, which are traditionally blue. By now, you might be thinking that the English language can be confusing.

Talk a blue streak

Now, this brings us to “blue streak,” which means “with great intensity or speed”. It was coined in the U.S. in the early 18th century. It’s very possible that the term arose through analogy to the speed and force of a lightning bolt. There’s a strong correlation in “talk a blue streak,” meaning to speak rapidly and excitedly. Also, the “blue” in “curse a blue streak” probably also invokes “blue” in the sense of “obscene” (see above). A similar phrase, “blue blazes” (“And the two Jacobs swore like blue blazes agin him,” 1858), was originally a reference to the fires of Hell, where it is said that brimstone burns with a pale blue flame.

And, there’s another usage of “to talk a blue streak” that we really like. Talking up a blue streak could be when someone, maybe a “famous” car persona, tends to embellish the truth, just a little bit.