blow
blow [blow blows blowed blowing] verb, noun, exclamation BrE [bləʊ] NAmE [bloʊ]
verb (blewBrE [bluː] ; NAmE [bluː] blownBrE [bləʊn] ; NAmE [bloʊn] In sense 14 blowed is used for the past participle.)
FROM MOUTH
1. intransitive, transitive to send out air from the mouth
•+ adv./prep. You're not blowing hard enough!
• The policeman asked me to blow into the breathalyser.
•~ sth + adv./prep. He drew on his cigarette and blew out a stream of smoke.
OF WIND
2. intransitive, transitive (+ adv./prep.) when the wind or a current of air blows, it is moving; when it blows, the wind is blowing
• A cold wind blew from the east.
• It was blowing hard.
•It was blowing a gale (= there was a strong wind).
MOVE WITH WIND/BREATH
3. intransitive, transitive to be moved by the wind, sb's breath, etc; to move sth in this way
•+ adv./prep. My hat blew off.
•+ adj. The door blew open.
•~ sth + adv./prep. I was almost blown over by the wind.
•She blew the dust off the book.
•The ship was blown onto the rocks.
•The bomb blast blew two passers-by across the street.
•~ sth + adj. The wind blew the door shut.
WHISTLE/INSTRUMENT
4. transitive, intransitive ~ (sth) if you blow a whistle, musical instrument, etc. or if a whistle, etc. blows, you produce a sound by blowing into the whistle, etc
• The referee blew his whistle.
•the sound of trumpets blowing
YOUR NOSE
5. transitive ~ your nose to clear your nose by blowing strongly through it into a ↑tissue or ↑handkerchief
A KISS
6. transitive ~ (sb) a kiss to kiss your hand and then pretend to blow the kiss towards sb
SHAPE STH
7. transitive ~ sth to make or shape sth by blowing
•to blow smoke rings
•to blow bubbles (= for example, by blowing onto a thin layer of water mixed with soap)
•to blow glass (= to send a current of air into melted glass to shape it)
ELECTRICITY
8. intransitive, transitive ~ (sth) if a ↑fuse blows or you blow a ↑fuse, the electricity stops flowing suddenly because the ↑fuse (= a thin wire) has melted because the current was too strong
TYRE
9. intransitive, transitive to break open or apart, especially because of pressure from inside; to make a tyre break in this way
• The car spun out of control when a tyre blew.
•The truck blew a tyre and lurched off the road.
WITH EXPLOSIVES
10. transitive ~ sth to break sth open with ↑explosives
•The safe had been blown by the thieves.
SECRET
11. transitive ~ sth (informal)to make known sth that was secret
•One mistake could blow your cover (= make your real name, job, intentions, etc. known).
•We're going to blow his operation wide open.
MONEY
12. transitive ~ sth (on sth) (informal)to spend or waste a lot of money on sth
•He inherited over a million dollars and blew it all on drink and gambling.
OPPORTUNITY
13. transitive ~ sth (informal)to waste an opportunity
•She blew her chances by arriving late for the interview.
•You had your chance and you blew it.
EXCLAMATION
14. transitive ~ sb/sth (BrE, informal)used to show that you are annoyed, surprised or do not care about sth
•Blow it! We've missed the bus.
•Well, blow me down! I never thought I'd see you again.
•I'm blowed if I'm going to (= I certainly will not) let him treat you like that.
•Let's take a taxi and blow (= never mind) the expense.
LEAVE SUDDENLY
15. transitive, intransitive ~ (sth) (NAmE, slang)to leave a place suddenly
•Let's blow this joint.
see also ↑whistle-blower, see blow/clear the cobwebs away at ↑cobweb, it's an ill wind (that blows nobody any good) at ↑ill adj., blow sb/sth to kingdom come at ↑kingdom, blow/sod that for a lark at ↑lark n., take/blow the lid off sth at ↑lid, puff and blow at ↑puff v., blow/knock sb's socks off at ↑sock n., see which way the wind is blowing at ↑way n.
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
v. Old English blāwan Germanic German blähen ‘blow up, swell’ Indo-European Latin flare ‘blow’ n. late Middle English
Thesaurus:
blow verb
1. I, T
•You're not blowing hard enough.
puff • • breathe out • |formal exhale •
Opp: suck
blow out/puff/breathe out/exhale smoke
blow/puff hard
2. I, T
•My hat blew away in the wind.
drift • • flutter • • fly • • flap • • waft • • wave •
blow/drift/flutter/flap/waft/wave gently
blow/drift/flutter/fly/flap/wave in the wind/breeze
a flag flutters/flies/flaps/waves
3. T, I
•The referee blew his whistle.
sound • • play • • blast • • blare • • honk • • toot •
blow/sound/blast/blare/honk/toot a horn
a horn blows/sounds/blasts/blares/honks/toots
blow/sound/play/blast a trumpet
a trumpet blows/sounds/plays/blasts/blares
blow/sound a whistle
a whistle blows/sounds
Synonyms:
explode
blow up • go off • burst • erupt • detonate
These are all words that can be used when sth bursts apart violently, causing damage or injury.
explode • to burst loudly and violently, causing damage; to make sth burst in this way: ▪ The jet smashed into a hillside and exploded. ◇ ▪ The bomb was exploded under controlled conditions.
blow (sth) up • to be destroyed by an explosion; to destroy sth by an explosion: ▪ A police officer was killed when his car blew up.
go off • (of a bomb) to explode; (of a gun) to be fired: ▪ The bomb went off in a crowded street.
When used about guns, the choice of go off (instead of ‘be fired’) can suggest that the gun was fired by accident.
burst • to break open or apart, especially because of pressure from inside; to make sth break in this way: ▪ That balloon's going to burst.
erupt • (of a volcano) to throw out burning rocks and smoke; (of burning rocks and smoke) to be thrown out of a volcano.
detonate • (rather formal) (of a bomb) to explode; to make a bomb explode: ▪ Two other bombs failed to detonate.
a bomb explodes/blows up/goes off/bursts/detonates
a car/plane/vehicle explodes/blows up
a firework/rocket explodes/goes off
Example Bank:
•It's blowing a gale out there!
•They won't commit themselves until they see which way the wind is blowing.
•a gale blowing from the west
•The sound of trumpets blowing grew louder.
•You're not blowing hard enough!
Idioms: ↑blow a fuse ▪ ↑blow chunks ▪ ↑blow hot and cold ▪ ↑blow smoke ▪ ↑blow somebody out of the water ▪ ↑blow the gaff ▪ ↑blow the whistle on somebody ▪ ↑blow up in somebody's face ▪ ↑blow your brains out ▪ ↑blow your mind ▪ ↑blow your own trumpet ▪ ↑blow your top ▪ blow-by-blow account/description ▪ ↑come to blows ▪ ↑soften the blow
Derived: ↑blow in ▪ ↑blow into something ▪ ↑blow itself out ▪ ↑blow off ▪ ↑blow out ▪ ↑blow over ▪ ↑blow somebody away ▪ ↑blow somebody off ▪ ↑blow somebody out ▪ ↑blow something apart ▪ ↑blow something off ▪ ↑blow something out ▪ ↑blow something up ▪ ↑blow up
noun
1. a hard hit with the hand, a weapon, etc
• She received a severe blow on the head.
• He was knocked out by a single blow to the head.
•The two men were exchanging blows.
•He landed a blow on Hill's nose.
2. ~ (to sb/sth) a sudden event which has damaging effects on sb/sth, causing sadness or disappointment
• Losing his job came as a terrible blow to him.
• It was a shattering blow to her pride.
•The new cuts will be seen as a crippling blow for people on low incomes.
•The recent bomb attacks are a serious blow for the peace process.
see also ↑body blow
3. the action of blowing
• Give your nose a good blow (= clear it completely).
• Try to put the candles out in one blow.
•I'll give three blows on the whistle as a signal.
more at deal sb/sth a blowdeal a blow to sb/sth at ↑deal v., strike a blow for/against sth at ↑strike v.
Word Origin:
v. Old English blāwan Germanic German blähen ‘blow up, swell’ Indo-European Latin flare ‘blow’ n. late Middle English
Thesaurus:
blow noun C
•Losing his job was a terrible blow.
shock • • disaster • • catastrophe • • calamity • • setback • • knock • • disappointment •
a blow/shock/disaster/catastrophe/calamity/setback/disappointment for sb
a blow/shock/setback/disappointment to sb
suffer a blow/shock/disaster/catastrophe/calamity/setback/knock/disappointment
Example Bank:
•Give your nose a blow.
•He felt a stinging blow across the side of his face.
•He killed the man with a single blow of his cricket bat.
•He rained heavy blows on the old woman.
•He suffered a severe blow to the head.
•Her decision to leave home was a terrible blow to her parents.
•His defeat dealt a crushing blow to the party.
•It was the gardener who delivered the fatal blow.
•Jack caught him a glancing blow on the jaw.
•She aimed a blow at Lucy.
•She landed a nasty blow on his nose.
•The blow came at a meeting on Saturday.
•The blow knocked him to the ground.
•The blow landed on my right shoulder.
•The boys exchanged blows with the police.
•The children came to blows over the new toy.
•The force of the blow knocked him out.
•The man went down in a hail of blows.
•The news came as a bitter blow to the staff.
•a blow to the victim's chest
•a mortal blow to British industry
•a nasty blow on the head
•to soften the blow of tax increases
•two blows of the axe
•Can you stay with Cathy tonight? She's had a bit of a blow.
•Try to put the candles out on one blow.
exclamation (old-fashioned, BrE)used to show that you are annoyed about sth
• Blow! I completely forgot it.
Word Origin:
v. Old English blāwan Germanic German blähen ‘blow up, swell’ Indo-European Latin flare ‘blow’ n. late Middle English
See also: ↑blow your own horn ▪ ↑blow your stack
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