1blow1 (bləʊ
)
Definitions
verb
Word forms: blows, blowing, blew, blown
- (of a current of air, the wind, etc) to be or cause to be in motion
- (intr) to move or be carried by or as if by wind or air ⇒
a feather blew in through the window
- to expel (air, cigarette smoke, etc) through the mouth or nose
- to force or cause (air, dust, etc) to move (into, in, over, etc) by using an instrument or by expelling breath
- (intr) to breathe hard; pant
- (sometimes foll by up) to inflate with air or the breath
- (intr) (of wind, a storm, etc) to make a roaring or whistling sound
- to cause (a whistle, siren, etc) to sound by forcing air into it, as a signal, or (of a whistle, etc) to sound thus
- (tr) to force air from the lungs through (the nose) to clear out mucus or obstructing matter
- up, down, in, etc to explode, break, or disintegrate completely ⇒
the bridge blew down in the gale
- electronics to burn out (a fuse, valve, etc) because of excessive current or (of a fuse, valve, etc) to burn out
- See blow a fuse
- (intr) (of a whale) to spout water or air from the lungs
- (tr) to wind (a horse) by making it run excessively
- 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
- (intr) jazz slang to play in a jam session
- (intr) (of flies) to lay eggs (in)
- to shape (glass, ornaments, etc) by forcing air or gas through the material when molten
- (intr) mainly Scottish Australian New Zealand to boast or brag
- (tr) slang
- to spend (money) freely
- US to treat or entertain
- (tr) slang to use (an opportunity) ineffectively
- slang to go suddenly away (from)
- (tr) slang to expose or betray (a person or thing meant to be kept secret)
- (tr) US slang to inhale (a drug)
- (intr) slang to masturbate
- informal another word for damn
⇒
I'll be blowed
blow it!
- draughts another word for huff (sense 4)
- See blow hot and cold
- See blow a kiss
- See blow one's own trumpet
- See blow someone's mind
- See blow one's top
noun
- the act or an instance of blowing
- the sound produced by blowing
- a blast of air or wind
- metallurgy
- a stage in the Bessemer process in which air is blasted upwards through molten pig iron
- the quantity of metal treated in a Bessemer converter
- mining
- a rush of air into a mine
- the collapse of a mine roof
- jazz slang a jam session
- British a slang name for cannabis (sense 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 upWord Origin
Old English blāwan , related to Old Norse blǣr gust of wind, Old High German blāen , Latin flāre2blow2 (bləʊ)
Definitions
noun
- a powerful or heavy stroke with the fist, a weapon, etc
- See at one blow
- a sudden setback; unfortunate event ⇒
to come as a blow
- See come to blows
- an attacking action ⇒
a blow for freedom
- Australian New Zealand a stroke of the shears in sheep-shearing
Word Origin
C15: probably of Germanic origin; compare Old High German bliuwan to beatSynonyms
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,
3blow3 (bləʊ)
Definitions
verb
Word forms: blows, blowing, blew, blown
- (intr) (of a plant or flower) to blossom or open out
- (tr) to produce (flowers)
noun
- a mass of blossoms
- 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 bloomOld English ; related to Old Frisian to bloom, Old High German , Latin flower; see 1Translations
- British English:
blow
Someone receives a blow when someone or something hits them.He went to hospital after a blow to the face.bləʊ NOUN He went to hospital after a blow to the face.
- Spanish:
soplo
nm
- French:
coup
nm
- German:
Stoß
nm Stöße
- Chinese: 拳打 n
- Arabic: لَطْمَة n
- Portuguese: sopro nm
- Russian: дуновение nnt
- Croatian: udarac nm
- Czech: závan nm
- Danish: slag nnt
- Dutch: windvlaag n
- Finnish: isku n
- Greek: φύσημα nnt
- Italian: colpo nm
- Japanese: 強打 n
- Korean: 강타 n
- Norwegian: slag nm
- Polish: dmuchnięcie nnt
- Brazilian Portuguese: pancada nf
- European Spanish:
soplo
nm
- Swedish: slag nnt
- Thai: การเป่า n
- Turkish: üfleme n
- Vietnamese: đòn đánh n
- British English:
blow
When the wind blows, it moves the air.The wind blew in our faces.bləʊ VERB The wind blew in our faces.
- Spanish:
soplar
v
- French:
souffler
vi
- German:
blasen
v
- Chinese: 风吹 vi
- Arabic: يَهُبُ vi
- Portuguese: soprar vi
- Russian: дуть vi
- Croatian: puhati v
- Czech: fouknout vi foukat
- Danish: blæse v
- Dutch: blazen vi
- Finnish: puhaltaa v
- Greek: φυσώ v
- Italian: soffiare v
- Japanese: 吹く v
- Korean: 불다 vi
- Norwegian: blåse v
- Polish: dmuchnąć vi dmuchać
- Brazilian Portuguese: soprar vi
- European Spanish:
soplar
v
- Swedish: blåsa vi
- Thai: เป่า vi
- Turkish: havaya uçmak vi
- Vietnamese: thổi v
Usage examples
They going round with the blow , little white piles of it on silver platters with spoons.
, INSTRUMENTS OF DARKNESS (2002)The bride replies, I have just given the last blow job of my entire life!
Maxim (2004)Immediate losses from the decision could be in excess of E35 million and the outcome is also a blow to potential business growth.
Irish Times (2002)FIFE has suffered a further jobs blow , with more than 100 workers paid off at a Dunfermline electronics factory.
Glasgow Herald (2001)If he tries to hit me I will stop the blow and then lock and pin him.
, TUNNEL VISIONS: Journeys of an Underground Philosopher (2001)