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

Here, in a dilapidated room, Saleem recounts the November blast.

From The Daily Beast

The blast was so strong,” he said, “we thought the world was ending.

From The Daily Beast

Now that he was Sir Alfred, there was one final blast of publicity.

From The Daily Beast

Witnesses said the girls were in their late teens and had been accompanied by a man who left soon after the blast.

From The Daily Beast

As the years went on, the bombshells kept coming—seemingly bigger with each blast.

From The Daily Beast

But the withering mildew was now breathed forth, that was intended to blast this goodly harvest.

From Project Gutenberg

The sentinel was singing a sequedilla above; and its notes came to them with the wailing blast.

From Project Gutenberg

The discharge-valve was then opened for a moment, allowing a blast of steam to escape, reducing the pressure say to one-half.

From Project Gutenberg

That counter-blast of passion and that plain speaking from a quarter so unexpected served, in part at least, to sober him.

From Project Gutenberg

It was not an ordinary blast, but had a peculiarly musical timbre, very much like the note of a mouth-organ.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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