blast

¹

[ blast ]

noun

1. a sudden and violent gust of wind:

   Wintry blasts chilled us to the marrow.

   Synonyms: storm, gale, blow, squall

2. the blowing of a trumpet, whistle, etc.:

   One blast of the siren was enough to clear the street.

   Synonyms: screech, blare

3. a loud, sudden sound or noise:

   The radio let out an awful blast before I could turn it off.

4. a forcible stream of air from the mouth, bellows, or the like.
5. Machinery.
   1. air forced into a furnace by a blower to increase the rate of combustion.
   2. a jet of steam directed up a smokestack, as of a steam locomotive, to increase draft.
   3. a draft thus increased.
6. a forceful or explosive throw, hit, etc.:

   a blast down the third-base line.

7. Slang.
   1. a party or riotously good time:

      Did we have a blast last night!

   2. something that gives great pleasure or enjoyment; thrill; treat:

      Duck hunting in Australia is a real blast!

8. a vigorous outburst of criticism; attack.
9. an electronic message sent simultaneously to a large number of people: e-blast advertising;

   an email blast;

   e-blast advertising;

   an SMS text blast.

10. blast wave.
11. Mining, Civil Engineering. the charge of dynamite or other explosive used at one firing in blasting operations.
12. the act of exploding; explosion:

    Some say the blast was in the next county.

    Synonyms: outburst, detonation

13. any pernicious or destructive influence, especially on animals or plants; a blight.
14. the sudden death of buds, flowers, or young fruit.

verb (used with object)

1. to play loudly or make a loud noise on:

   to blast rock music;

   to blast a horn.

2. to cause to shrivel or wither; blight.
3. to affect with any harmful influence; ruin; wreck:

   Failure in the exam blasted her hopes for college.

   It was an indiscretion that blasted his good reputation.

   Synonyms: demolish

4. to shatter, break up, or dislodge by or as if by an explosion:

   Their explosives were inadequate to blast the granite.

5. to make, form, open up, etc., by blasting:

   to blast a tunnel through a mountain.

6. to show to be false, unreliable, etc.; discredit:

   His facts soundly blasted the new evidence.

7. Informal. to curse; damn (usually followed by it or an object):

   Blast it, there's the phone again!

   Blast the time, we've got to finish this work.

8. to censure or criticize vigorously; denounce:

   In his campaign speech he really blasts the other party.

9. to hit or propel with great force: They were blasted into outer space.

   He blasted a homer that tied the game.

   They were blasted into outer space.

10. to shoot:

    The terrorists blasted him down.

verb (used without object)

1. to produce a loud, blaring sound: His voice blasted until the microphone was turned down.

   The trumpets blasted as the overture began.

   His voice blasted until the microphone was turned down.

2. to shoot:

   He whipped out his revolver and started blasting.

3. Slang. to take narcotics.

verb phrase

1. 1. (of a rocket) to leave a launch pad under its own power.
   2. (of an astronaut) to travel aloft in a rocket.

-blast

²

1. a combining form meaning “bud, sprout,” “embryo,” “formative cells or cell layer,” used in the formation of compound words:

   ectoblast.

blast

¹

/ blɑːst /

noun

1. an explosion, as of dynamite
2. 1. the rapid movement of air away from the centre of an explosion, combustion of rocket fuel, etc
   2. a wave of overpressure caused by an explosion; shock wave
3. the charge of explosive used in a single explosion
4. a sudden strong gust of wind or air
5. a sudden loud sound, as of a trumpet
6. a violent verbal outburst, as of criticism
7. a forcible jet or stream of air, esp one used to intensify the heating effect of a furnace, increase the draught in a steam engine, or break up coal at a coalface
8. any of several diseases of plants and animals, esp one producing withering in plants
9. slang.
   a very enjoyable or thrilling experience

   the party was a blast

10. full blast or at full blast
    at maximum speed, volume, etc

interjection

1. slang.
   an exclamation of annoyance (esp in phrases such as blast it! and blast him! )

verb

1. to destroy or blow up with explosives, shells, etc
2. to make or cause to make a loud harsh noise
3. tr to remove, open, etc, by an explosion

   to blast a hole in a wall

4. tr to ruin; shatter

   the rain blasted our plans for a picnic

5. to wither or cause to wither; blight or be blighted
6. to criticize severely
7. to shoot or shoot at

   he blasted the hat off her head

   he blasted away at the trees

-blast

²

combining form

1. (in biology) indicating an embryonic cell or formative layer

   mesoblast

Derived Forms

• ˈblaster, noun

Other Words From

• blast·er noun
• blast·y adjective
• blast·i·er adjective
• blast·i·est adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of blast¹

First recorded before 1000; 1955–60 blast fordef 7a; Middle English (noun and verb); Old English blǣst (noun) “a blowing”; akin to Old Norse blāstr, Old High German blāst; blow ²

Origin of blast²

< Greek, combining form of blastós a bud, sprout

Word History and Origins

Origin of blast¹

Old English blǣst , related to Old Norse blāstr

Origin of blast²

from Greek blastos bud

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at full blast, at maximum capacity; at or with full volume or speed: Also full blast.

   The factory is going at full blast.

More idioms and phrases containing blast

In addition to the idiom beginning with blast , also see full blast .

Synonym Study

See wind ¹.

Example Sentences

“She’s a woman who is just as American as anyone else,” said De León, who went on to blast Congress for failing to pass comprehensive immigration laws.

From Los Angeles Times

With two blasts of its horn, MV Hebridean Isles bade farewell as it left the quay at Stornoway for a final time on Sunday, bound for Glasgow before it goes to the breakers.

From BBC

Tata has closed its two coal-fired blast furnaces and is to replace them with an electric furnace that will need fewer workers.

From BBC

Residents were so enraged in the 1920s that some carried out a series of attacks on the aqueduct, blasting it with dynamite.

From Los Angeles Times

And it’s one of a host of reasons we not only think the ride is a blast, but also why it’s an important addition to Disneyland.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• burst
• crash
• detonation
• eruption
• explosion
• outbreak
• outburst
• volley

More About Blast

What does blast mean?

A blast is a loud, sudden noise, as in The blast of the fire alarm woke Kehinde out of a deep sleep.

Blasts are typically associated with the sound and force behind them, and often this force will be caused by a gust of wind or heat that is emanating from some type of explosion or machine.

To blast is to make a loud, sudden noise, as when you blow into a trumpet.

To blast is also to destroy or break up, as in The engineers blasted the rock in the side of the mountain to create a tunnel.

Figuratively, a blast is a strong verbal attack or criticism. To blast someone is to criticize them in this way, as in Jada’s parents blasted her for staying out all night, and now she’s grounded for a month.

A blast is also a really fun party or thrill, as in Luis was surprised at what a blast he had at rock climbing.

Example: I heard a loud blast from the neighboring field and went over to see what happened.

Where does blast come from?

The first records of the term blast come before the 1000s. It comes from the Old English blǣst, meaning “a blowing.”

Blast is used in the idiom full blast, meaning “maximum capacity or productivity.” For example, if the sound on your TV is at full blast, the sound is as loud as it can be. You can’t turn it up any higher.

You might also hear someone use blast in place of a curse word to indicate annoyance, as in Blast it, I missed the bus again!

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to blast?

• blaster (noun)
• blasty (adjective)
• blasted (verb, adjective)

What are some synonyms for blast?

• blow
• explosion
• gust
• burst
• criticize

What are some words that share a root or word element with blast?

• blast cell
• blast furnace
• blasting
• blastoff

What are some words that often get used in discussing blast?

• cannon
• destruction
• gun
• wind

How is blast used in real life?

Blast is a common word with many senses, most of which relate to an explosion or force.

2 hours to go until we blast #confident up the charts on itunes!

— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) December 9, 2013

Day full of snowboarding for the first time was a blast. #iwannatakethesesnowpantsoff

— Matthew Espinosa (@MatthewEspinosa) December 28, 2014

Sure was a great minute and a half today when we got to watch that rocket blast off.

— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) May 31, 2020

 

Try using blast!

Which of the following is NOT a synonym for blast?

A. explosion
B. crash
C. volley
D. tranquility

Words That Use -blast

What does -blast mean?

The combining form –blast is used like a suffix with a variety of meanings. Especially in terms from botany, it means “bud, sprout.” In other scientific terms, this meaning is applied metaphorically to mean “embryo” or “formative cells or cell layer.” Formative cells are cells capable of developing new cells or tissue, or embryonic cells.

The form –blast comes from Greek blastós, meaning “bud” or “sprout.” The Latin translation of blastós was germen, “sprout” or “shoot.” Learn how germen is the source of german, meaning “having the same parents,” and germane, meaning “relevant”—but not to German, a person from Germany—at our entries for each word.

What are variants of –blast?

The form –blast does not have any variants. However, it is related to the form –blastic, as in holoblastic. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article for –blastic.

Examples of -blast

One example of a scientific term that uses the form –blast is macroblast, “an abnormally large bone marrow cell from which red blood cells develop.”

The form macro– may look familiar; it means “large,” from Greek makrós. As we have seen, –blast can mean “formative cells.” Macroblast literally translates to “large formative cells.”

What are some words that use the combining form –blast?

• angioblast
• neuroblast
• ooblast
• trophoblast
• xenoblast

What are some other forms that –blast may be commonly confused with?

• -plast
• -plasty

Break it down!

The combining form neuro– means “nerves” or “nervous system.” With this in mind, what are neuroblasts?