blister

American  

[blis-ter] / ˈblɪs tər /

noun

1. a thin vesicle on the skin, containing watery matter or serum, as from a burn or other injury.

2. any similar swelling, as an air bubble in a coat of paint.

3. a relatively large bubble occurring in glass during blowing.

4. Military. a transparent bulge or dome on the fuselage of an airplane, usually for mounting a gun.

5. Photography. a bubble of air formed where the emulsion has separated from the base of a film, as because of defective processing.

6. a dome or skylight on a building.

7. the moving bubble in a spirit level.

8. a small blisterlike covering of plastic, usually affixed to a piece of cardboard and containing a small item, as a pen, bolt, or medicinal tablet.

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verb (used with object)

1. to raise a blister or blisters on.

   These new shoes blistered my feet.

2. to criticize or rebuke severely.

   The boss blistered his assistant in front of the whole office.

3. to beat or thrash; punish severely.

verb (used without object)

1. to form or rise as a blister or blisters; become blistered.

blister British  

/ ˈblɪstə /

noun

1. a small bubble-like elevation of the skin filled with serum, produced as a reaction to a burn, mechanical irritation, etc

2. a swelling containing air or liquid, as on a painted surface

3. a transparent dome or any bulge on the fuselage of an aircraft, such as one used for observation

4. slang an irritating person

5. slang a rebuke

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verb

1. to have or cause to have blisters

2. (tr) to attack verbally with great scorn or sarcasm

Other Word Forms

• blistered adjective
• blistery adjective
• reblister verb
• unblistered adjective

Etymology

Origin of blister

1250–1300; Middle English blister, blester < Old Norse blǣstri, dative of blāstr swelling. See blast, blow ²

Example Sentences

Built-in bookshelves ran along this false wall, old, sagging shelves whose blistered wood bore the same water stains as the wall behind them.

From Literature

I even got used to my blisters, to my freezing hands and ears, and my numb feet.

From Literature

Fourteen years later, Pierce scored at a blistering pace, yet because someone had stolen his jersey, he played a portion of the game with the name “McCoy” on the back.

From Los Angeles Times

With dripping hair and chattering teeth, they huddled over it, moaning as it thawed their hands and blistered their faces.

From Literature

The library was housed in the top floors of the Metropolitan Building, but I avoided the elevators and took the stairs down the eight flights to ground level, ignoring the still-raw blisters on my feet.

From Literature

Related Words

• abscess
• cyst
• pimple
• sore
• ulcer
• welt