# How offensive is 'bloody' in the UK?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-bloody-in-the-uk/219019
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [December 14, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-bloody-in-the-uk/219019 "2003-12-14T23:53:30Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ratty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratty)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-bloody-in-the-uk/219019/1 "2003-12-14T23:53:30Z")
I’ve always wondered this, because I watch some British movies and occasional television shows, and the word seems to crop up somewhat frequently. Is it about on par with ‘damn’ or ‘hell’ in the US? Is it something you shouldn’t say in front of little kids, your grandmother, or members of the clergy? Is its use in any way restricted in broadcasting? Thanks.
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### Author:  [@The\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Griffin)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2003, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-bloody-in-the-uk/219019/2 "2003-12-14T23:57:33Z")
It’s not that offensive. Perhaps a degree more so than “hell” and “damn”.
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### Author:  [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-bloody-in-the-uk/219019/3 "2003-12-15T00:00:57Z")
I think there was another thread about this recently, maybe search…
but anyway, it’s the case with most swearing (with the obvious handful of exceptions) that said in an offhand way they’re OK, but said with real meaning they’re offensive. e.g. it’s fine for a school football coach to tell his kids they played “bloody well”, but to mutter “bloody waste of time” under your breath is a big insult to whoever you’re dealing with at the time.
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### Author:  [@mic84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mic84)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2003, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-bloody-in-the-uk/219019/4 "2003-12-15T06:17:38Z")
It’s bloody offensive.
Sorry, couldn’t help it
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### Author:  [@Honeydew\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honeydew_1)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2003, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-bloody-in-the-uk/219019/5 "2003-12-15T09:29:30Z")
It was the only swear word we were allowed to use in our house. Even now, anything stronger is frowned upon. Which is fine by me - I can’t abide to hear children swearing.
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### Author:  [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2003, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-bloody-in-the-uk/219019/6 "2003-12-15T11:40:08Z")
I don’t know how offensive “Bloody” is, is it the equivalent to “Fucking”?, but I know I like it when Spike says it.
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### Author:  [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2003, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-bloody-in-the-uk/219019/7 "2003-12-15T11:41:51Z")
I think there have been at least half a dozen threads on this topic already.
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### Author:  [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2003, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-bloody-in-the-uk/219019/8 "2003-12-15T12:07:26Z")
Don’t you mean “at least half a dozen threads on this bloody topic”, **ruadh**?
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### Author:  [@Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moo_the_Magic_Cow)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-bloody-in-the-uk/219019/9 "2003-12-15T19:42:21Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Intaglio \*
> **I don’t know how offensive “Bloody” is, is it the equivalent to “Fucking”?**
heck no. maybe damn.