English Dictionary

Definition of “blow”

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Word Frequency

Word Frequency of blow

blow1 (bləʊ Pronunciation for blow1 ) 

Definitions

verb

Word forms:  blows, blowing, blew, blown
  1. (of a current of air, the wind, etc) to be or cause to be in motion
  2. intr to move or be carried by or as if by wind or air ⇒ a feather blew in through the window
  3. to expel (air, cigarette smoke, etc) through the mouth or nose
  4. to force or cause (air, dust, etc) to move (into, in, over, etc) by using an instrument or by expelling breath
  5. intr to breathe hard; pant
  6. sometimes foll by up to inflate with air or the breath
  7. intr (of wind, a storm, etc) to make a roaring or whistling sound
  8. to cause (a whistle, siren, etc) to sound by forcing air into it, as a signal, or (of a whistle, etc) to sound thus
  9. tr to force air from the lungs through (the nose) to clear out mucus or obstructing matter
  10. often foll by up, down, in, etc to explode, break, or disintegrate completely ⇒ the bridge blew down in the gale
  11. (electronics) to burn out (a fuse, valve, etc) because of excessive current or (of a fuse, valve, etc) to burn out

  12. See blow a fuse

  13. intr (of a whale) to spout water or air from the lungs
  14. tr to wind (a horse) by making it run excessively
  15. to cause (a wind instrument) to sound by forcing one's breath into the mouthpiece, or (of such an instrument) to sound in this way
  16. intr (jazz, slang) to play in a jam session
  17. intr (of flies) to lay eggs (in)
  18. to shape (glass, ornaments, etc) by forcing air or gas through the material when molten
  19. intr (mainly Scottish & Australian & New Zealand) to boast or brag
  20. tr (slang)
    1. to spend (money) freely
    2. (US) to treat or entertain
  21. tr (slang) to use (an opportunity) ineffectively
  22. (slang) to go suddenly away (from)
  23. tr (slang) to expose or betray (a person or thing meant to be kept secret)
  24. tr (US, slang) to inhale (a drug)
  25. intr (slang) to masturbate
  26. Word forms:   past participle blowed
    (informal) another word for damn ⇒ I'll be blowed, blow it!
  27. (draughts) another word for huff (sense 4)

  28. See blow hot and cold

  29. See blow a kiss

  30. See blow one's own trumpet

  31. See blow someone's mind

  32. See blow one's top

noun

  1. the act or an instance of blowing
  2. the sound produced by blowing
  3. a blast of air or wind
  4. (metallurgy)
    1. a stage in the Bessemer process in which air is blasted upwards through molten pig iron
    2. the quantity of metal treated in a Bessemer converter
  5. (mining)
    1. a rush of air into a mine
    2. the collapse of a mine roof
  6. (jazz, slang) a jam session
    1. (British) a slang name for cannabis (sense 2)
    2. (US) a slang name for cocaine

See also

blow away, blow in, blow into, blow off, blow on, blow out, blow over, blow through, blow up

Word Origin

Old English blāwan, related to Old Norse blǣr gust of wind, Old High German blāen, Latin flāre

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry
= gust, blast, puff
= move, carry, drive, bear, sweep, toss, fling, whisk, buffet, whirl, waft
= be carried, move, travel, flow, float, hover, flutter, whirl, waft, flit, flitter
= exhale, breathe, pant, puff, breathe out, expel air
= puff out, expel, send out, emit, give out, breathe out
= play, sound, pipe, trumpet, blare, toot
= unblock, clear, unclog
= blast
= spend, waste, squander, consume, run through, use up, dissipate, fritter away
= ruin, spoil, screw up, botch, mess up, cock up, fuck up, make a mess of, muff, foul up, make a nonsense of, bodge, make a pig's ear of, flub, crool or cruel, louse up
= short-circuit, go, break, fuse, burn out
= burst, puncture, split, explode, blow out, rupture
= puff, breathe, pant, gasp, gulp, wheeze, exhale
= gust, wind, blast, puff, gale, flurry, draught, tempest, strong breeze

blow2 (bləʊ Pronunciation for blow2 ) 

Definitions

noun

  1. a powerful or heavy stroke with the fist, a weapon, etc

  2. See at one blow

  3. a sudden setback; unfortunate event ⇒ to come as a blow

  4. See come to blows

  5. an attacking action ⇒ a blow for freedom
  6. (Australian & New Zealand) a stroke of the shears in sheep-shearing

Word Origin

C15: probably of Germanic origin; compare Old High German bliuwan to beat

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry
= knock, stroke, punch, belt, bang, rap, bash, sock, smack, thump, buffet, clout, whack, wallop, slosh, tonk, clump, clomp
= setback, shock, upset, disaster, reverse, disappointment, catastrophe, misfortune, jolt, bombshell, calamity, affliction, whammy, choker, sucker punch, bummer, bolt from the blue, comedown

blow3 (bləʊ Pronunciation for blow3 ) 

Definitions

verb

Word forms:  blows, blowing, blew, blown
  1. intr (of a plant or flower) to blossom or open out
  2. tr to produce (flowers)

noun

  1. a mass of blossoms
  2. the state or period of blossoming (esp in the phrase in full blow)

Word Origin

Old English blōwan; related to Old Frisian blōia to bloom, Old High German bluoen, Latin flōs flower; see bloom1

Translations for 'blow'

  • British English: blowPronunciation for blow Someone receives a blow when someone or something hits them.He went to hospital after a blow to the face.bləʊ NOUNhit
  • Arabic: لَطْمَةPronunciation for لَطْمَة
  • Brazilian Portuguese: pancadaPronunciation for pancada
  • Chinese: 拳打Pronunciation for 拳打
  • Croatian: udaracPronunciation for udarac
  • Czech: úderPronunciation for úder
  • Danish: slagPronunciation for slag
  • Dutch: klapPronunciation for klap
  • European Spanish: golpePronunciation for golpe
  • Finnish: iskuPronunciation for isku
  • French: coupPronunciation for coup
  • German: Schlag Pronunciation for Schlag
  • Greek: κτύπημαPronunciation for κτύπημα
  • Italian: colpoPronunciation for colpo
  • Japanese: 強打Pronunciation for 強打
  • Korean: 강타Pronunciation for 강타
  • Norwegian: slagPronunciation for slagphysical
  • Polish: dmuchnięciePronunciation for dmuchnięcie
  • Portuguese: soproPronunciation for sopro
  • Romanian: lovitură lovituri
  • Russian: ударPronunciation for удар
  • Spanish: golpePronunciation for golpe
  • Swedish: slagPronunciation for slagknytnävsslag
  • Thai: ถูกต่อยPronunciation for ถูกต่อย
  • Turkish: darbePronunciation for darbe
  • Ukrainian: удар
  • Vietnamese: đòn đánhPronunciation for đòn đánh
  • British English: blowPronunciation for blow When the wind blows, it moves the air.The wind blew in our faces.bləʊ VERBwind
  • Arabic: يَهُبُPronunciation for يَهُبُ
  • Brazilian Portuguese: soprarPronunciation for soprar
  • Chinese: 风吹Pronunciation for 风吹
  • Croatian: puhatiPronunciation for puhati
  • Czech: foukatPronunciation for foukat fouknout
  • Danish: blæsePronunciation for blæse
  • Dutch: blazenPronunciation for blazen
  • European Spanish: soplarPronunciation for soplar
  • Finnish: puhaltaaPronunciation for puhaltaa
  • French: soufflerPronunciation for souffler
  • German: blasenPronunciation for blasen
  • Greek: φυσώPronunciation for φυσώ
  • Italian: soffiarePronunciation for soffiare
  • Japanese: 吹くPronunciation for 吹く
  • Korean: 불다Pronunciation for 불다
  • Norwegian: blåsePronunciation for blåse
  • Polish: dmuchnąćPronunciation for dmuchnąć dmuchać
  • Portuguese: soprarPronunciation for soprar
  • Romanian: a sufla
  • Russian: дутьPronunciation for дуть
  • Spanish: soplarPronunciation for soplar
  • Swedish: blåsaPronunciation for blåsa
  • Thai: พัดPronunciation for พัด
  • Turkish: esmekPronunciation for esmek
  • Ukrainian: віяти повіяти
  • Vietnamese: thổiPronunciation for thổi
  • British English: blowbləʊ When you blow, you push air out of your mouth.He blew on his hands to keep them warm. VERBperson
  • Arabic: يَنْفُخُ
  • Brazilian Portuguese: soprar
  • Chinese: 吹
  • Croatian: puhati
  • Czech: foukat fouknout
  • Danish: puste
  • Dutch: blazen
  • European Spanish: soplar
  • Finnish: puhaltaa
  • French: souffler
  • German: blasen
  • Greek: φυσάω
  • Italian: soffiare
  • Japanese: ･･･に息を吐く
  • Korean: 불다
  • Norwegian: blåse
  • Polish: dmuchać
  • Portuguese: soprar
  • Romanian: a sufla
  • Russian: дуть
  • Spanish: soplar
  • Swedish: blåsa
  • Thai: เป่า
  • Turkish: üflemek
  • Ukrainian: дмухати
  • Vietnamese: thổi
  • British English: blow If something that happens is a blow to someone or something, it is very upsetting, disappointing, or damaging to them. NOUNThat ruling comes as a blow to environmentalists.disappointment
  • Brazilian Portuguese: golpe
  • Chinese: > 击打用拳或武器的> 击擊打
  • European Spanish: golpe
  • French: coup
  • German: Schlag
  • Italian: colpo
  • Japanese: 打撃
  • Korean: 강타
  • Portuguese: golpe
  • Spanish: golpe

Example Sentences Including 'blow'

Colin Gillies struck a blow for the Tartan Tour by upstaging many of Europe's elite on a testing day at the Scottish Open.
Glasgow Herald (2001)
He cringed against the wooden boards, waiting for the blow that never came.
Val McDermid THE LAST TEMPTATION (2002)
He even invited De Niro to dinner, only to have his co-star snap, `I wanna blow your head off.
John Baxter DE NIRO: A Biography (2002)
His carefully measured studies, conducted over the best part of four decades, blow apart the facade of celibacy.
Irish Times (2002)
I reckons as there'll soon be a storm fit to blow the devil's head off.
Fidelis Morgan THE RIVAL QUEENS: A Countess Ashby de la Zouche Mystery (2002)
In August 1996, it was dealt a heavy blow by a passing an oil rig which led to a repair bill of more than £4m.
Glasgow Herald (2001)
Kerry then suffered a further blow with the dismissal of Ray Galvin in the 15th minute.
Irish Times (2002)
The water here is cold, the waves are fickle, and the prevailing southwesterly winds blow the waves flat and mushy.
Country Life (2004)
They going round with the blow , little white piles of it on silver platters with spoons.
Robert Wilson INSTRUMENTS OF DARKNESS (2002)

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