bye-blow

Updated: May 23, 2025

"Nay," said the landlady, "if I thought he was a gentleman's son, thof he was a bye-blow, I should behave to him in another guess manner; for many of these bye-blows come to be great men, and, as my poor first husband used to say, never affront any customer that's a gentleman." A dialogue between Mr Jones and the barber.

Henry Fielding - History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

Thank God!" she cried in a stifled ecstasy, "and O! but I'm grateful." And anew she fondled the little bye-blow as it lay with its sunny hair on the soldier's plaid. John glanced at her from the corners of his eyes with a new expression, and asked her if she was fond of bairns. "Need you ask that of a woman?" she said.

Neil Munro - John Splendid: The Tale of a Poor Gentleman, and the Little Wars of Lorn

I can't pretend to say anything about it, but this I do say, Mr Simple and many will blame me for it, but I can't help my natural feelings that I had rather be the bye-blow of a gentleman, than the 'gitimate offspring of a boatswain and his wife. There's no chance of good blood in your veins in the latter instance, whereas, in the former you may have stolen a drop or two.

Frederick Marryat - Peter Simple; and, The Three Cutters, Vol. 1-2

The monarch claimed to be a sort of bye-blow of Tararroa, the Saturn of the Polynesian mythology, and cousin-german to inferior deities. His person was thrice holy; if he entered an ordinary dwelling, never mind for how short a time, it was demolished when he left; no common mortal being thought worthy to inhabit it afterward.

Herman Melville - Omoo

"It is a question I have asked of those who have sailed with him, and they all say that he never speaks of his own family, but very often boasts of his intimacy with the nobility. Some say that he is a bye-blow of some great man."

Frederick Marryat - Peter Simple

But M'Iver fixed him with an eye that pricked like a rapier. "Sit ye down, Stewart," said he; "your race is royal, as ye must be aye telling us, but there's surely many a droll bye-blow in the breed." "Are you not all from Appin?" asked the woman, with a new interest, taking a corner of M'Iver's plaiding in her hand and running a few checks through fine delicate fingers of a lady.

Neil Munro - John Splendid: The Tale of a Poor Gentleman, and the Little Wars of Lorn

"It is a question I have asked of those who have sailed with him, and they all say that he never speaks of his own family, but very often boasts of his intimacy with the nobility. Some say that he is a bye-blow of some great man."

Frederick Marryat - Peter Simple; and, The Three Cutters, Vol. 1-2