blow

¹

[ bloh ]

noun

1. a sudden, hard stroke with a hand, fist, or weapon:

   a blow to the head.

   Synonyms: knock, beat, box, cuff, slap, rap, thwack, thump, buffet

2. a sudden shock, calamity, reversal, etc.:

   His wife's death was a terrible blow to him.

3. a sudden attack or drastic action:

   The invaders struck a blow to the south.

blow

²

[ bloh ]

verb (used without object)

, blew, blown, blow·ing.

1. (of the wind or air) to be in motion.
2. to move along, carried by or as by the wind:

   Dust seemed to blow through every crack in the house.

3. to produce or emit a current of air, as with the mouth or a bellows:

   Blow on your hands to warm them.

4. (of a horn, trumpet, etc.) to give out sound.
5. to make a blowing sound; whistle:

   The siren blew just as we rounded the corner.

6. (of horses) to breathe hard or quickly; pant.
7. Zoology. (of a whale) to spout.
8. (of a fuse, light bulb, vacuum tube, tire, etc.) to burst, melt, stop functioning, or be destroyed by exploding, overloading, etc. (often followed by out ):

   A fuse blew just as we sat down to dinner. The rear tire blew out.

9. to burst from internal pressure:

   Poorly sealed cans will often blow.

10. Slang. to leave; depart.
11. Slang: Vulgar. to perform fellatio on a man.
12. Slang. to be unpleasant or unfortunate:

    He’s so broke that he has to move back in with his parents, which totally blows.

13. Slang. to be inferior, as in quality or execution:

    The vacation package blew so bad that everyone is asking the resort for a refund.

14. Informal. to boast; brag:

    He kept blowing about his medals.

verb (used with object)

, blew, blown, blow·ing.

1. to drive by means of a current of air:

   A sudden breeze blew the smoke into the house.

2. to spread or make widely known:

   Growing panic blew the rumor about.

3. to drive a current of air upon.
4. to clear or empty by forcing air through:

   Try blowing your nose.

5. to shape (glass, smoke, etc.) with a current of air:

   to blow smoke rings.

6. to cause to sound, as by a current of air:

   Blow your horn at the next crossing.

7. Jazz. to play (a musical instrument of any kind).
8. to cause to explode (often followed by up, to bits, etc.):

   A mine blew the ship to bits.

9. to burst, melt, burn out, or destroy by exploding, overloading, etc. (often followed by out ):

   to blow a tire; blow a fuse.

10. to destroy; demolish (usually followed by down, over, etc.):

    The windstorm blew down his house.

11. Informal.
    1. to spend money on.
    2. to squander; spend quickly:

       He blew a fortune on racing cars.

    3. to waste; lose:

       The team blew the lead by making a bad play.

12. Informal. to mishandle, ruin, botch; make a mess of; bungle:

    With one stupid mistake he blew the whole project. It was your last chance and you blew it!

13. to put (a horse) out of breath by fatigue.
14. Slang. to depart from:

    to blow town.

15. Slang: Vulgar. to perform fellatio on: Blow me!

    She was blowing strangers for money to support her drug habit.

    Blow me!

16. Slang. to smoke (marijuana or other drugs).
17. Slang. to damn:

    Blow the cost!

noun

1. a blast of air or wind:

   to clean machinery with a blow.

2. Informal. a violent windstorm, gale, hurricane, or the like:

   one of the worst blows we ever had around here.

3. an act of producing a blast of air, as in playing a wind instrument:

   a few discordant blows by the bugler.

4. Slang. cocaine.
5. Metallurgy.
   1. a blast of air forced through a converter, as in the production of steel or copper.
   2. the stage of the production process during which this blast is used.
6. Civil Engineering. boil ¹( def 12 ).

verb phrase

1. 1. to become extinguished:

      The candles blew out at once.

   2. to lose force or cease:

      The storm has blown itself out.

   3. (of an oil or gas well) to lose oil or gas uncontrollably.
   4. Metallurgy. to blow down and clean (a blast furnace) in order to shut down.
2. Slang.
   1. to kill, especially by gunfire:

      The gang threatened to blow away anyone who talked to the police.

   2. to defeat decisively; trounce:

      She blew her opponent away in three straight sets.

   3. to overwhelm with emotion, astonishment, etc.:

      Good poetry just blows me away.

3. 1. to pass away; subside:

      The storm blew over in five minutes.

   2. to be forgotten:

      The scandal will eventually blow over.

4. 1. to come into being:

      A storm suddenly blew up.

   2. to explode:

      The ship blew up.

   3. to cause to explode:

      to blow up a bridge.

   4. to exaggerate; enlarge:

      He blew up his own role in his account of the project.

   5. Informal. to lose one's temper:

      When he heard she had quit school, he blew up.

   6. to fill with air; inflate:

      to blow up a tire.

   7. Slang. to surge in interest or popularity, or suddenly achieve great success:

      She’s a big celebrity now—her YouTube channel is blowing up.

   8. Slang. (of a story, image, etc.) to dominate (the media) or be spread rapidly or widely on (the internet or a website):

      The scandal has been blowing up the national news reports. His offensive comments blew up Twitter.

   9. Slang. to repeatedly call or send a high volume of continuous text messages or emails to (a digital account):

      This girl was blowing up my phone with her annoying texts.

   10. Slang. to have a surge in text messages, emails, phone calls, etc.: Her phone was blowing up with concerned calls from family and friends.

       My inbox blew up right after I posted the photo.

       Her phone was blowing up with concerned calls from family and friends.

   11. Photography. to make an enlarged reproduction of.
   12. Mathematics. (of a function) to become infinite.
5. 1. to allow steam to be released.
   2. Informal. to reduce or release tension, as by loud talking.
   3. Informal. to ignore, evade, or treat as unimportant:

      I mentioned his insulting remark, and he just blew the whole thing off.

   4. Informal. to not go to or participate in:

      He blew off his first-period class three times that week.

   5. Informal. to fail to meet (someone) as planned without alerting the person beforehand:

      I waited 20 minutes before I realized my sister had blown me off.

   6. Informal. to end a romantic or other relationship with:

      He blew me off after our third date.

6. 1. Slang. to arrive at a place, especially unexpectedly:

      My uncle just blew in from Sacramento.

   2. Metallurgy. to begin operations in (a blast furnace).
7. Metallurgy. to suspend working of (a blast furnace) by smelting the existing charge with a diminishing blast.

blow

³

[ bloh ]

noun

1. a yield or display of blossoms:

   the lilac's lavender blows.

2. a display of anything bright or brilliant:

   a rich, full blow of color.

3. state of blossoming; a flowering:

   a border of tulips in full blow.

verb (used with or without object)

, blew, blown, blow·ing.

1. Archaic. to blossom or cause to blossom.

blow

¹

/ bləʊ /

verb

1. (of a current of air, the wind, etc) to be or cause to be in motion
2. intr to move or be carried by or as if by wind or air

   a feather blew in through the window

3. to expel (air, cigarette smoke, etc) through the mouth or nose
4. to force or cause (air, dust, etc) to move (into, in, over, etc) by using an instrument or by expelling breath
5. intr to breathe hard; pant
6. sometimes foll by up to inflate with air or the breath
7. intr (of wind, a storm, etc) to make a roaring or whistling sound
8. to cause (a whistle, siren, etc) to sound by forcing air into it, as a signal, or (of a whistle, etc) to sound thus
9. tr to force air from the lungs through (the nose) to clear out mucus or obstructing matter
10. often foll byup, down, in, etc to explode, break, or disintegrate completely

    the bridge blew down in the gale

11. electronics to burn out (a fuse, valve, etc) because of excessive current or (of a fuse, valve, etc) to burn out
12. blow a fuse slang.
    to lose one's temper
13. intr (of a whale) to spout water or air from the lungs
14. tr to wind (a horse) by making it run excessively
15. 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
16. slang.
    intr jazz to play in a jam session
17. intr (of flies) to lay eggs (in)
18. to shape (glass, ornaments, etc) by forcing air or gas through the material when molten
19. intr to boast or brag
20. slang.
    tr
    1. to spend (money) freely
    2. to treat or entertain
21. slang.
    tr to use (an opportunity) ineffectively
22. slang.
    to go suddenly away (from)
23. slang.
    tr to expose or betray (a person or thing meant to be kept secret)
24. slang.
    tr to inhale (a drug)
25. slang.
    intr to masturbate
26. informal.
    blowed another word for damn

    I'll be blowed

    blow it!

27. draughts another word for huff
28. blow hot and cold
    to vacillate
29. blow a kiss or blow kisses
    to kiss one's hand, then blow across it as if to carry the kiss through the air to another person
30. blow one's own trumpet
    to boast of one's own skills or good qualities
31. blow someone's mind slang.
    1. (of a drug, esp LSD) to alter someone's mental state
    2. to astound or surprise someone
32. blow one's top or blow one's stack or blow one's lid informal.
    to lose one's temper

noun

1. the act or an instance of blowing
2. the sound produced by blowing
3. a blast of air or wind
4. metallurgy
   1. a stage in the Bessemer process in which air is blasted upwards through molten pig iron
   2. the quantity of metal treated in a Bessemer converter
5. mining
   1. a rush of air into a mine
   2. the collapse of a mine roof
6. slang.
   jazz a jam session
7. 1. a slang name for cannabis
   2. a slang name for cocaine

blow

²

/ bləʊ /

noun

1. a powerful or heavy stroke with the fist, a weapon, etc
2. at one blow or at a blow
   by or with only one action; all at one time
3. a sudden setback; unfortunate event

   to come as a blow

4. come to blows
   1. to fight
   2. to result in a fight
5. an attacking action

   a blow for freedom

6. a stroke of the shears in sheep-shearing

blow

³

/ bləʊ /

verb

1. intr (of a plant or flower) to blossom or open out
2. tr to produce (flowers)

noun

1. a mass of blossoms
2. the state or period of blossoming (esp in the phrase in full blow )

Word History and Origins

Origin of blow¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English blaw, northern and Scottish form representing later blowe; akin to Old High German bliuwan, Gothic bliggwan “to beat”

Origin of blow²

First recorded before 1000; Middle English verb blowen, Old English blāwan; akin to Latin flāre “to blow”

Origin of blow³

First recorded before 1000; Middle English verb blowen, Old English blōwan; akin to German blühen “to bloom,” Latin flōs flower

Word History and Origins

Origin of blow¹

Old English blāwan , related to Old Norse blǣr gust of wind, Old High German blāen , Latin flāre

Origin of blow²

C15: probably of Germanic origin; compare Old High German bliuwan to beat

Origin of blow³

Old English blōwan ; related to Old Frisian blōia to bloom, Old High German bluoen , Latin flōs flower; see bloom ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at one blow, with a single act: Also at a blow.

   He became wealthy and famous at one blow.

2. blow chunks, Slang. chunk ¹( def 8 ).
3. blow hot and cold, to favor something at first and reject it later on; waver; vacillate:

   His enthusiasm for the job blows hot and cold.

4. blow off steam, Informal. steam ( def 23 ). Also let off steam.
5. blow one's cool, Slang. to lose one's composure; become angry, frantic, or flustered.
6. blow one's lines, Theater. to forget or make an error in a speaking part or stage directions.
7. blow one's mind, Slang. mind ( def 36 ).
8. blow one's stack, Slang. stack ( def 24 ).
9. blow one's top, Informal. top ¹( def 44 ).
10. come to blows, to begin to fight, especially to engage in physical combat:

    They came to blows over the referee's ruling.

11. strike a blow for, to further or advance the cause of:

    to strike a blow for civil rights.

12. strike a blow, to hit.
13. without striking a blow, without a battle or contest:

    The military coup was accomplished without striking a blow.

14. blow one's cover. cover ( def 53 ).

More idioms and phrases containing blow

• at one stroke (blow)
• body blow
• come to blows
• keep (blow) one's cool
• low blow
• way the wind blows

Synonym Study

Blow, stroke, hit, slap refer to a sudden or forceful impact, but differ in their literal and figurative uses. Blow emphasizes the violence of the impact and, figuratively, adverse fortune: a blow from a hammer; a blow to one's hopes. Stroke emphasizes movement as well as impact; it indicates precision or, figuratively, either good fortune or sudden or unexpected pain or misfortune: the stroke of a piston; a stroke of luck, of lightning; a paralytic stroke. Hit, in its current uses, emphasizes the successful result of a literal or figurative blow, impact, or impression, for example in baseball, social life, the theater: a two-base hit; to make a hit with someone; a smash hit. Slap, a blow with the open hand or with something flat, emphasizes the instrument with which the blow is delivered and, often, the resulting sound; figuratively, it connotes an unfriendly or sarcastic statement, action, or attitude: Her coldness was like a slap in the face; the slap of a beaver's tail on the water.

Example Sentences

In turn, that has served as a major blow to the women selling khat, says Sahra Ahmed Koshin, a doctoral candidate at the University of Copenhagen studying the Somali diaspora who has tracked the lives of several female khat dealers.

From Ozy

As a teenager, he had a glancing blow of viral attention when he auditioned for America’s Got Talent, but it was TikTok that provided sustained views and attention.

From MIT Technology Review

“It’s like a boxer in the ring taking a lot of punches and you’re just waiting for the knockout blow,” said independent media analyst Alex De Groote.

From Digiday

However, the distinguishing feature of the Boeotian pertained to its sloping metal rim that extended at the rear to protect the neck while also slightly projecting downwards at the front to deflect blows.

From Realm of History

At the same time, the effective modifications allowed for adequate protection from incoming blows.

From Realm of History

This is a blow against freedom of speech, we were told, by the likes of Homeland Security chief Jeh Johnson.

From The Daily Beast

Liberal Democrats like to blow their bugles about how all the big money in politics comes from rich Republicans.

From The Daily Beast

On Friday, the story had looked like it might blow over as Buckingham Palace sought to dismiss it as a “civil case.”

From The Daily Beast

It took a blow to the head from Clark and the assistance of three deputies to subdue her.

From The Daily Beast

The latest disappearance is another huge aviation blow for Malaysia, where both Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia are based.

From The Daily Beast

It was like his beautiful courtesy to call me in and introduce me to Blow instead of letting me go away.

From Project Gutenberg

He who has attained it grows giddy, and the fiercest winds are summoned to blow him from his eminence.

From Project Gutenberg

Upon his knees then, he lingered, while I rained blow after blow upon his upturned face.

From Project Gutenberg

At his sight shall the mountains be shaken, and at his will the south wind shall blow.

From Project Gutenberg

The tailor of the fairy tale with his "seven at a blow" is not in it with the gunnery Lieutenant of a battleship.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bump
• concussion
• impact
• jab
• jolt
• kick
• punch
• shock
• slap
• stroke
• uppercut

More About Blow

What is a basic definition of blow?

Blow describes the motion of the air or wind or to move with help from air or wind. Blow also refers to a sudden, impactful hit or strike. Blow has many other senses as a verb, a noun, and a slang term.

When wind or air blows, it moves. When you are outside on a windy day, you can feel the air blow against you or see evidence of it blowing as trees wave or leaves fly through the air.

• Used in a sentence: Warm air blew across Kentucky this morning. 

To blow also describes something that is moving with the assistance of air or wind. Usually, this sense of blow is followed by a term that specifically describes how something moved.

• Real-life examples: On a windy day, leaves may blow across the yard, your hair may blow into your face, and loose papers may blow around.
• Used in a sentence: We could see dark clouds blowing toward us. 

A blow is a sudden, hard hit.

• Used in a sentence: Frank collapsed after taking a blow to the leg from the runaway bicycle. 

In a related sense, blow refers to figurative damage caused by a disaster, tragedy, or other negative event.

• Used in a sentence: Losing the fight was a huge blow to my confidence.

Where does blow come from?

The first records of blow come from before the year 1000. It ultimately comes from the Old English verb blāwan, meaning “to blow,” as in the movement of the wind.

The first records of blow to mean “a sudden strike” come from around 1425. It comes from the late Middle English blaw. It is related to the Gothic word bliggwan, meaning “to beat.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to blow?

• blower (noun)
• blown (adjective, past participle)
• blowy (adjective)

What are some synonyms for blow?

• waft
• rush
• hit
• impact
• stroke

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

• blow up
• blow away
• blow out
• blow off
• blow off steam
• blow over

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

• wind
• air
• punch
• kick
• fuse
• whistle

How is blow used in real life?

Blow is a very common word that often refers to the movement of wind or means to move with help from air or wind.

Gusty outflow winds will blow across the North valley. Anthem, North Scottsdale, Carefree, Cave Creek expect gusts to 40-50 mph range.

— Chris Dunn (@ArizonaWeather) August 17, 2010

Just passed a guy raking his leaves to the curb, as the wind blew half of them back in his face. A futile effort, but his #Browns hoodie proves he’s clearly comfortable with that concept.

— Alan Cox (@alancoxshow) November 19, 2017

Bijiek again leaves the game. He appears to be in discomfort. He possibly took a blow to the chest.

— Dan Holm (@danmholm) December 3, 2016

Try using blow!

True or False?

The word blow is often used to refer to the movement of water.