# Cursing a blue streak? What's a blue streak? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 8, 2005, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-a-blue-streak-whats-a-blue-streak/316135 "2005-08-08T17:34:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-a-blue-streak-whats-a-blue-streak/316135/1 "2005-08-08T17:34:37Z")
Millions, I guess the title of this thread is pretty self-explanatory. Still, what the hell’s a “blue steak”? I know you might curse one if, say, you dropped an bowling ball on your own face, but I don’t know the phrase origin. Help me out. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-a-blue-streak-whats-a-blue-streak/316135/2 "2005-08-08T17:40:51Z")
I think it is somehow a reference to blue electrical sparks. B-zap-zap-zap! ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-a-blue-streak-whats-a-blue-streak/316135/3 "2005-08-08T18:09:04Z")
Blue, as an adjective, means among other things being risque or indecent. A streak is sometimes described as a quality of a person’s character (think: yellow streak or streak of decency.) Cursing up a blue streak is to call up your indecent nature. Got that shit, ya mutha? ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-a-blue-streak-whats-a-blue-streak/316135/4 "2005-08-08T18:17:55Z")
Alternately, a streak is also equated with speed (think: streakers or a streak of lightning) so a blue streak might also mean indecencies and vulgarities spoken very quickly. If I dropped a bowling ball were dropped on my own face, I imagine that would do the trick… … on the other hand, how the heck do you drop a bowling ball on your _own_ face? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-a-blue-streak-whats-a-blue-streak/316135/5 "2005-08-08T18:20:21Z")
Laws against profanity were originally printed on blue paper (so people would know where to look for the “good stuff”?), and were dubbed “the blue laws.” This use extended to other objects considered risque. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-a-blue-streak-whats-a-blue-streak/316135/6 "2005-08-08T18:41:15Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Laws against profanity were originally printed on blue paper (so people would know where to look for the “good stuff”?), and were dubbed “the blue laws.” This use extended to other objects considered risque. But why did they use blue paper instead of some other color? Coincidence? Any connection between “blue” meaning obscene and “blue balls” (actually a bruised color) or “sacre bleu”? ---
**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-a-blue-streak-whats-a-blue-streak/316135/7 "2005-08-08T18:52:33Z")
According to Snopes, there’s no evidence for the blue paper theory. [http://www.snopes.com/language/colors/bluelaws.htm](http://www.snopes.com/language/colors/bluelaws.htm) They’re not infallible of course, but if there is any good evidence, I’d be interested in seeing it. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-a-blue-streak-whats-a-blue-streak/316135/8 "2005-08-08T18:58:19Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > … on the other hand, how the heck do you drop a bowling ball on your _own_ face? Well…you could be putting it away on a high shelf and have it roll back and fall on you. I’m pretty sure Fred Flintstone did this several times. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-a-blue-streak-whats-a-blue-streak/316135/9 "2005-08-08T19:01:13Z")
People have covered the “blue” part. I think the streak part refers to the idea that it’s not just a single curse, but a long string or “streak” of them. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-a-blue-streak-whats-a-blue-streak/316135/10 "2005-08-08T19:53:26Z")
From William Morris at [Word Dectective](http://www.word-detective.com/051600.html#bluelaws): > [@](#): > > “Blue laws” predate “blue” as a slang synonym for “indecent or obscene” by at least fifty years, and there appears to be no direct connection between the two “blues.” The origin of “blue” in the “smutty” sense is unknown, though we do know that it first appeared around 1864. > > snip > > The term “blue laws” seems to have been invented by Reverend Samuel Peters, a pro-British American clergyman whose “General History of Connecticut,” published in 1781, set out to paint the colonists as religious fanatics. Although popular legend maintains that the term “blue laws” arose because the laws themselves were printed on blue paper, Peters himself explained that by “blue” he meant “bloody,” i.e., enforced by whipping, maiming and death. > > Ironically, there’s no evidence that the colonists themselves used the term “blue laws,” which makes sense – they’d probably have been whipped if they had. ---
**Author:** ![MadderMitch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e7dd6/32.png) [@MadderMitch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadderMitch)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-a-blue-streak-whats-a-blue-streak/316135/11 "2005-08-08T23:26:01Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > Alternately, a streak is also equated with speed (think: streakers or a streak of lightning) so a blue streak might also mean indecencies and vulgarities spoken very quickly. If I dropped a bowling ball were dropped on my own face, I imagine that would do the trick… > > … on the other hand, how the heck do you drop a bowling ball on your _own_ face? You need to meet Leo. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-a-blue-streak-whats-a-blue-streak/316135/12 "2005-08-08T23:48:54Z")
> [@Birdmonster](#): > > Still, what the hell’s a “blue steak”? I’ve heard people ask for their steaks to be cooked “blue-rare.” I always assumed it was just a smidge more cooked than “blood-rare.” :eek: Oh…typo? Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-a-blue-streak-whats-a-blue-streak/316135/13 "2005-08-09T00:29:22Z")
I think the “Blue Streak” is the blue flame that imaginary comes out of ones mouth when cussing. Blue=Hot. As in blue is hotter than red.