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bloody-minded
DCHP-2 (Nov 2012)
adj. — somewhat rare
unwilling to cooperate; stubborn.
Type: 2. Preservation — The OED-3 (s.v. "bloody-minded") lists two related meanings of this term. The earliest meaning, 'inclined to bloodshed or violence,' (s.v. "bloody-minded", (1)) has appeared to semantically shift into the non-violent 'perverse [or] contrary' (s.v. "bloody-minded", (2)). It is this second meaning, essentially 'stubbornly uncooperative', that is considered by COD-2 as characteristic to the Commonwealth countries of Canada, Britain and Australia. Chart 1 shows a semantic analysis of unambiguous tokens in the Canadian Globe and Mail and the US New York Times. Between 1930 and 1979 only a handful of unambiguous tokens appear (66), most showing the meaning 'stubborn' in the Canadian source. This gives us reason to label the meaning Canadian. As Charts 2 and 3 show, the term (in all meanings) is rare today with very low frequencies for Canada. The term is Canadian not only in the quantitative aspect, but also in its historical dimension as a preservation from British English. During the period from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century many Canadians considered all things British superior, including language; the preference for British English has been called Canadian Dainty (see Chambers 2004). This preference tended to move Canadian English away from American usage (see the quotations, which are not always unambiguous).
The OED-3 labels bloody-minded as primarily British, connecting the term to one of the various meanings of "bloody," which is defined as "bad, unpleasant, objectionable" and labelled as "outdated" (OED-3, s.v. "bloody" (8b)).
See also COD-2, s.v. "bloody-minded" (1), which is marked "informal" and "esp. Cdn, Brit. & Austral.".
The OED-3 labels bloody-minded as primarily British, connecting the term to one of the various meanings of "bloody," which is defined as "bad, unpleasant, objectionable" and labelled as "outdated" (OED-3, s.v. "bloody" (8b)).
See also COD-2, s.v. "bloody-minded" (1), which is marked "informal" and "esp. Cdn, Brit. & Austral.".
Quotations
1886
He thinks it is "splendid" that a Quebec constituency should be carried by a cry against "Ontario, Ontario," the province of which he once so sweetly sung; and by such stories as that the Orangemen, of whom he was once one, are sworn to wade knee deep in Roman Catholic blood, and that "the bloody minded people" of Ontario, he being an Ontario man himself, are ruthless enemies of the sister province and of its population.
1961
The treasury board, headed by Premier Duff Roblin who is also Provincial Treasurer, has adopted what has become known in Government circles as a bloody-minded approach to spending.
1978
The prisoners are gone now from the old section of the Don Jail, the gallows has been dismantled, the bars have been removed and melted down, the cells stand open and silent as caves. It is no longer economically feasible for any government, however bloody-minded, to turn the old Don back into a prison.
1982
Most people hope that correctional institutions will do just that - correct the aberrations and behavioral styles which have led to incarceration. Even the most bloody-minded enthusiast for punishment and suffering realizes the vast majority of inmates will ultimately emerge - quite possibly to a further career of crime. Thus, the effect of the prison experience is of some concern to all in a society increasingly aware of crime, and its costs in human as well as financial terms.
1989
Calgary's membership is essential. Without it, the provincial government could easily dismiss the association as being little more than a front for the Edmonton public school board -- a body which the government tends to view as trouble-making and bloody-minded.
1995
Today's battles are bloodless, but no less bloody-minded. They still involve discrimination and hatred. But it is only in the juxtaposition of this week's anniversary that a subtle and nasty fight being waged in Alberta has anything in common with the experiences of wartime.
1999
My legs were jelly. Damn! All I could see were more hills. Elation turned quickly to exhaustion. My body said stop, but I knew I couldn't. My spirit had resurfaced. I wasn't going to stop now. I felt the strength in my mind -- crisp, clear. I kept pushing at the pedals. No finesse, no power, just bloody-minded determination.
References
- COD-2
- OED-3
- Chambers (2004)
Images
Chart 1: Semantic analysis of bloody-minded from 1930-1979 in Canada and the US. Data: Proquest, 27 Mar. 2016 (Analyst: Baillie Ford)
Chart 2: Internet Domain Search, 31 Mar. 2014
