Julie in Fort Pierce, Florida, recalls that on sweltering days her mother would declare the weather was hotter than Billy Blue Blazes! The word blazes is a euphemism for “hell,” as in hot as blazes. The blue in blue blazes has long been used as an intensifier, appearing in such phrases as go blue blazes meaning “to get angry” and What in blue blazes? as an expression of surprise or exasperation. Billy Blue Blazes is a further elaboration, appearing in such expressions as colder than Billy Blue Blazes or angrier than Billy Blue Blazes. This is part of a complete episode.
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