Bigwig: This term for an important person dates to c. 1731. It is a reference to the powered wigs that men wore in the 18th century. Rich and important men would have larger, more expensive wigs.

 

Blackguard: The exact etymology of this term for villain is a bit uncertain. What is known is that it is literally from black guard; it is English in origin and its dates to at least 1532.

The earliest senses are: 

• The lowest servants in a household 

• Guards, either dressed in black, or low character, or attending a criminal

 

Blockbuster:

This term has three distinct senses. The earliest use of blockbuster was during World War II, meaning a large aerial bomb. It was formed from the words for a city block and bust; aver meaning “to break.” A blockbuster was a bomb large enough to destroy a city block.

 

The second sense means anything, especially a movie, play, or book that is large, important, or popular. The term appears to have arisen shortly after the war, and was probably based on the concept of a large bomb. Ironically, the term “bomb” in show business means a complete failure, which blockbuster is a huge success.

 

The third sense is from real estate. A blockbuster is a real estate agent, who sells a house in an all-white neighborhood to a minority, especially black, family. Once the city block is busted, the other houses are likely to come on the market at a depressed price.

 

Bogart

 

This word is associated with Humphrey Bogart and has become associated with a term meaning selfishness. The selfish connotation comes from hogging a marijuana cigarette. Someone who kept the joint in their mouth, hand from their lip like Bogey, would be bogarting the joint. 

 

The term is first attested to in the song Don’t Bogart Me by Elliot Ingber and Larry Wagner.

 

Bogey

 

Bogey is a term that today is unusually only heard in the air force or on the golf course.  On the links a bogey is a score of one over par on a particular hole. A Major Wellman who was playing golf against Dr. Yamouth invented the term in 1890. Welman, having a difficulty beating the scratch score claimed he was playing against a bogeyman, a character in a popular song of the time.

 

Bogle is an old Scottish word for ghost. The term dates at least to 1505.

 

Bogey also refers to unidentified aircraft that is presumably hostile.