blue hen
/ˈbluː hɛn/US
noun
1A formidable fighter; a feisty, spirited, or quick-tempered person. Usually in plural.
2A nickname for: a soldier from Delaware (frequently in plural with the, as the nickname of a particular regiment or company composed of these soldiers) (now historical ). Later more generally: (a nickname for) a native or inhabitant of Delaware.
3More fully Blue Hen State. A nickname for: the state of Delaware.
Origin
Early 19th century; earliest use found in Robert Henry (1718–1790), Church of Scotland minister and historian. From blue + hen.
- polychoral
- polychord
- polychoric
- polychotomous
- polychotomy
- polychrest
- polychroic
- polychromasia
- polychromatic
- polychromatic normoblast
- polychromatise
- polychromatism
- polychromatize
- polychromatophil
- polychromatophile
- polychromatophilia
- polychromatophilic
- polychrome
- polychromic
- polychromism
- polychromist
- stick in one's throat (or craw)
- stick insect
- stick-in-the-mud
- stick it to