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blow

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See also:Blowandb'low

English

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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FromMiddle Englishblowen,fromOld Englishblāwan(“to blow, breathe, inflate, sound”),fromProto-West Germanic*blāan,fromProto-Germanic*blēaną(“to blow”)(compareGermanblähen), fromProto-Indo-European*bʰleh₁-(“to swell, blow up”)(compareLatinflō(“to blow”)andOld Armenianբեղուն(bełun,“fertile”)).

Verb

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blow(third-person singular simple presentblows,present participleblowing,simple pastblew,past participleblown)

  1. (intransitive)To produce anaircurrent.
  2. (transitive)To propel by anaircurrent(or, if under water, awatercurrent), usually with the mouth.
    Blowthe dust off that book and open it up.
  3. (intransitive)To be propelled by anaircurrent.
    The leavesblowthrough the streets in the fall.
  4. (transitive,figurative)To direct or move, usually of a person to a particular location.
  5. (transitive)To create or shape by blowing.
    toblowbubbles
    toblowglass
    Joe puffed on his pipe andblewa couple of smoke rings.
  6. (transitive)To force a current of air upon with the mouth, or by other means.
    toblowthe fire
  7. (transitive)To clear of contents by forcing air through.
    toblowan egg
    toblowone’s nose
    The submarineblewits main ballast tanks.
  8. (transitive)To cause to make sound by blowing, as a musical instrument.
  9. (intransitive)To make a sound as the result of being blown.
    In the harbor, the ships’ hornsblew.
  10. (intransitive,of acetacean)Toexhalevisiblythrough thespouttheseawaterwhich it has taken in whilefeeding.
    There’s nothing more thrilling to the whale watcher than to see a whale surface andblow.
    There sheblows!(i.e. “I see a whale spouting!” )
    • 1886,Peter Christen Asbjørnsen,translated by H.L. Brækstad,Folk and Fairy Tales,page184:
      Soon after he [a porpoise] appeared again,blowingvery hard, but the next moment he turned over; Rasmus was not slow in putting the boat-hook in him and hauling him into the boat with my assistance.
  11. (intransitive)Toburstorexplode;tooccursuddenly
    Get away from that burning gas tank! It’s about toblow!
    • 1971,Herman Wouk,The Winds of War,page12:
      Hitler is very, very important, and something's going toblowin Europe.
  12. (transitive,with "up" or with prep phrase headed by "to")To cause to explode, shatter, or be utterly destroyed.
    The demolition squad neatlyblewthe old hotel up.
    The aerosol can wasblownto bits.
    • 2022January 12, Benedict le Vay, “The heroes of Soham...”, inRAIL,number948,page42:
      However, something once happened on the railway there which showed the very best of mankind: heroism, duty, self-sacrifice and calm professionalism under terrible pressure. It is a story which gives us far, far better reasons for remembering this attractive little town, which without these heroes would have beenblownto smithereens in a gigantic explosion.(Two railwaymen lost their lives in 1944 when a wagon in an ammunition train caught fire and blew up, an even worse disaster was averted however.)
  13. (transitive,historical,military,of a person)Toblow from a gun.
  14. (transitive)To cause the sudden destruction of.
    Heblewthe tires and the engine.
  15. (intransitive)To suddenly fail destructively.
    He tried to sprint, but his ligamentsblewand he was barely able to walk to the finish line.
    • (Can wedatethis quote?),Checkatrade,“Blownwindows repair cost guide”, in(Please provide the book title or journal name):
      A common problem for double glazed windows (or doors) is mist or condensation between the panes of glass. This is known as ablownwindow or failed double glazing. But what does it cost to repair?
  16. (transitive,slang)To recklesslysquander.
    I managed toblow$1000 at blackjack in under an hour.
    Iblew$35 thou on a car.
    Weblewan opportunity to get benign corporate sponsorship.
    • 1932,Delos W. Lovelace,King Kong,published1965,page136:
      ‘Holy Mackerel, Ann! I’m certainly glad weblewourselves for that outfit of yours.’
  17. (transitive,informal,idiomatic)Tofailat something; tomess up;tomakeamistake.
    Iblewit and forgot to start the spaghetti, so I had plenty of sauce and no pasta.
    Good luck, and don’tblowit!
    • 2006,Allison Rushby,Hating Valentine's Day‎[1],page148:
      […]I put myself on the line for you. I told you I wasn't sure if I was ready for a relationship again and you blew it. You blew it! You call this a fresh start? This doesn't look like a fresh start to me. You'redicking me aroundjust like the rest of them, Drew.
    • 2014June 20, Daniel Taylor, “World Cup 2014: Uruguay sink England as Suárez makes his mark”,inguardian.co.uk:
      Hodgson’s team attracted a certain amount of sympathy and understanding after the Italy defeat but it was beyond them to play with the same attacking panache and, if there is to be a feat of escapology, it will need an almost implausible combination of results and handouts in the final games of Group D. More realistically, they haveblownit in their first week.
  18. (intransitive,stative,slang,sometimes consideredvulgar)To be veryundesirable.
    Synonym:suck
    Thisblows!
  19. (transitive,vulgar)To performoral sexon (someone); tofellate.
    Synonyms:seeThesaurus:perform oral sex
    Who did you have toblowto get those backstage passes?
    • 2011,“Chyna”, inHow I Escaped a Girl Gang: Rolling in a London Girl Gang:
      The mandem all used to go round there and get head off her, the sisterblowingthe man line by line while her brother shotted downstairs in the stairwell.
  20. (transitive,slang)Toleave,especially suddenly or in a hurry.
    Let’sblowthis joint.
    • 2007,Gus Seyffert, Charlie Wadhams (lyrics and music), “Guilty As Charged”, inWalk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,performed by John C. Reilly:
      I'm a wanted man and I'mblowingtown
      Don't waste your time trying to hunt me down
  21. (transitive)To makeflyblown,to defile, especially with fly eggs.
    • c.1606–1607(date written),William Shakespeare,“The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”,inMr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies[…](First Folio), London:[…]Isaac Iaggard,andEd[ward]Blount,published1623,→OCLC,[Act V, scene ii],page365,column 1:
      Shall they hoyſt me vp,
      And ſhew me to the ſhowtingVarlotarie
      Of cenſuring Rome? Rather a ditch in Egypt,
      Be gentle graue vnto me, rather on Nylus mudde
      Lay me ſtarke-nak'd, and let the water-Flies
      Blowme into abhorring;
    • 1610–1611(date written),William Shakespeare,“The Tempest”,inMr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies[…](First Folio), London:[…]Isaac Iaggard,andEd[ward]Blount,published1623,→OCLC,[Act III, scene i],page11,column 1:
      Fer.I am, in my condition
      A Prince (Miranda) I do thinke a King
      (I would not ſo) and would no more endure
      This wodden ſlauerie, then to ſuffer
      Thefleſh-flieblowmy mouth: heare my ſoule ſpeake.
    • 1938,Norman Lindsay,Age of Consent,1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.:Ure Smith,published1962,→OCLC,page78:
      That decision was given an added kick by fury when he found that Podson had left the safe door open, and flies hadblownthe meat.
  22. (intransitive)(of a fly) To lay eggs; to breed.
    • 1807,Thomas Pike Lathy,Gabriel Forrester;or, The deserted son. A novel in four volumes,volume 2, London: Lewis and Hamblin, page77:
      […] said the bookseller, “but I cannot risk the expence of yourdebut- There are critics without as well as within a theatre.” - I know it, said I, interrupting him; “men who, like fliesblowingon a piece of wholesome meat, can convert it into carrion - […]
    • 1843,William Hughes(Piscator),Fish, How to Choose and How to Dress,London: Longman, Green, Brown, and Longmans, pages41–42:
      In Cornwall, a singular mode of curing conger, once prevailed, which was, merely to split the conger in halves, and, without any further preparation, to hang them up in a kind of shambles erected for that purpose, when the flies,blowingon the fish, the progeny would devour all the parts liable to decomposition, whilst the residue, being dried in the sun, became in this manner fit for use: and, when perfectly cured, where exported to Spain and Portugal. There they were ground into powder, and with this preparation, the natives of those Countries used to thicken their soups.
    • 1921,“The British Veterinary Journal”, in(Please provide the book title or journal name),volume77,Ballière Tindall, page29:
      […]and often after they drop off the punctured skins are the seats of maggots, etc., owing to fliesblowingon these injuries.
  23. (obsolete)To spread by report; to publish; to disclose.
  24. (obsolete)To inflate, as with pride; to puff up.
  25. (intransitive)To breathe hard or quick; topant;topuff.
  26. (transitive)To put out of breath; to cause to blow from fatigue.
  28. (dated)Totalkloudly;boast;brag.
    • 1866February 6, Mark Twain, “Remarkable Dream”, inVirginia City Territorial Enterprise:
      I don't want the worst characters in hell to be running after me with friendly messages and little testimonials of admiration for Smythe, andblowingabout his talents, and bragging on him, and belching their villainous fire and brimstone all through the atmosphere and making my place smell worse than a menagerie.
    • a.1940,Mildred Haun, “Shin-Bone Rocks”, inThe Hawk's Done Gone,page218:
      He didn't just set around and try to out sweettalk[sic]somebody; he got out and out-fit somebody. He wouldn't beblowingwhen he told his boys how he fit for the woman he got.
    • 1969,Charles Ambrose McCarthy,The Great Molly Maguire Hoax,page113:
      At the breaking edge with him and completely fed up with his everlasting bragging andblowingabout his personal exploits, and desirous of putting him somewhere, anywhere, so they wouldn't be continuously annoyed by him,[…]
    • 1976,David Toulmin,Blown Seed,page148:
      Audie never liked him because he was further in with old Craig than he was, bragging andblowingabout his work and the things he could do, while Audie sat quiet as a mouse listening to his blab.
  29. (slang,dated,transitive)Toslander,insult,critiqueordiscredit(someone); toreprimandorscold(someone).
  30. (UK,slang,archaic)Toexpose,orinform on.
    Synonym:grass up
    • 1722,Daniel Defoe,Colonel Jack:
      'As for that,' says Will, 'I could tell it well enough, if I had it, but I must not be seen anywhere among my old acquaintances, for I amblown,and they will all betray me.'
  31. (slang,informal,African-American Vernacular)Tosing.
    That girl has a wonderful voice; just listen to herblow!
  32. (Scientology,intransitive)ToleavetheChurch of Scientologyin an unauthorized manner.
  33. (slang,colloquial)Toflatulateordefecate.
    Uh, oh! I gottablow!
Derived terms
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Translations
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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions atWiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Noun

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blow(countableanduncountable,pluralblows)

  1. A strongwind.
    We’re having a bit of ablowthis afternoon.
  2. (informal)Achancetocatch one's breath.
    The players were able to get ablowduring the last timeout.
  3. (uncountable,US,slang)Cocaine.
    Synonyms:seeThesaurus:cocaine
    • 1982,Slava Tsukerman,Anne Carlisle, Nina V. Kerova,Liquid Sky:
      Hi there, you're a pretty cute chick, want to snort someblow?
    • 1983,“White Lines (Don't Do It)”, performed by Grandmaster Melle Mel:
      Hey man, you wanna cop someblow?/ Sure, what you got, dust, flakes or rocks?
    • 2001,David McKenna,Blow,spoken by Derek:
      Jesus Christ, George, I don't see you for two years and you show up on my doorstep with 110 pounds ofblow.
    • 2023,“Modern Day Ripoff”, inEvery Loser,performed byIggy Pop:
      I ran out ofblowa long time ago / I can't smoke a J or my guts fly away
  4. (uncountable,UK,slang)Cannabis.
    Synonyms:seeThesaurus:marijuana
  5. (uncountable,USChicagodialectal,slang)Heroin.
    Synonyms:seeThesaurus:heroin
  6. (informal,vulgar)Ablowjob;fellatio.
    Synonyms:seeThesaurus:oral sex
    His girlfriend gave him ablow.
  7. (nautical)An instance of usinghigh-pressureairtoemptywaterfrom theballasttanksof asubmarine,increasing the submarine'sbuoyancyand causing it tosurface.
    • 2005September 29,National Transportation Safety Board,“Emergency Evolutions”, inMarine Accident Brief: Collision between the U.S. Navy Submarine USS Greeneville and Japanese Motor Vessel Ehime Maru near Oahu, Hawaii, 9 February 2001‎[2],archived fromthe originalon25 March 2022,page24:
      The sounding of the alarm was the signal to begin the emergencyblowmaneuver. At this time, witnesses reported, the guest at the high-pressure air controls operated the levers under close supervision of Navy personnel, and the submarine started to rise at a sharp angle.
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Translations
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Interjection

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blow

  1. (intransitive)Used to express displeasure or frustration.

Etymology 2

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FromMiddle Englishblo,bloo,fromOld Englishblāw(“blue”),fromProto-Germanic*blēwaz(“blue, dark blue, grey, black”),fromProto-Indo-European*bʰlēw-(“yellow, blond, grey”).Cognate withLatinflavus(“yellow”).Doubletofblue.

Adjective

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blow(comparativeblowerormoreblow,superlativeblowestormostblow)

  2. (now chieflypuristic,dialectal,Northern England)Blue.
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Etymology 3

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FromMiddle Englishblowe,blaw,northern variant ofblēwe,fromProto-Germanic*blewwaną(“to beat”)(compareOld Norseblegði(“wedge”),Germaneinbläuen,Middle Dutchblouwen). Related toblock.

Noun

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blow(pluralblows)

  1. (uncommon)The act ofstrikingorhitting.
    Synonyms:bace,strike,hit,punch
    A fabricator is used to direct a sharpblowto the surface of the stone.
    During an exchange to end round 13, Duran landed ablowto the midsection.
  2. A sudden or forcible act or effort; an assault.
    • 1843,Thomas Arnold, “Progress of the War in Italy after the Battle of Cannæ.[…]”,inJ[ulius] C[harles] Hare,editor,History of Rome,volume III (From the End of the First to the End of the Second Punic War), London: B. Fellowes;[…],→OCLC,page227:
      There he found that[…]Hanno's camp was crowded with cattle and carriages, and a mixed multitude of unarmed men, and even of women and children; and that a vigorousblowmight win it with all its spoil: the indefatigable general was absent, scouring the country for additional supplies of corn.
  3. Adamagingoccurrence.
    Synonyms:disaster,calamity
    A furtherblowto the group came in 1917 when Thomson died while canoeing in Algonquin Park.
    • c.1603–1606,William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”,inMr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies[…](First Folio), London:[…]Isaac Iaggard,andEd[ward]Blount,published1623,→OCLC,[Act IV, scene vi]:
      a most poor man, made tame to fortune'sblows
    • 2011April 15, Saj Chowdhury, “Norwich 2 - 1 Nott'm Forest”, inBBC Sport‎[3]:
      Norwich returned to second in the Championship with victory over Nottingham Forest, whose promotion hopes were dealt anotherblow.
  4. (Australia,shearing,historical)Acutmade to a sheep'sfleeceby ashearerusinghand-shears.
    • 1891December 5,The Bacchus Marsh Express,Victoria, page 7, column 7:
      Click goes his shears; click, click, click. / Wide are theblows,and his hand is moving quick, / The ringer looks round, for he lost it by ablow,/ And he curses that old shearer with the bare belled ewe.
  5. (Australia,New Zealand)Anoutcropofquartzfrom surrounding rock, thought to indicatemineraldepositsbelow.
    • 1887,Harriet W. Daly,Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia,page315:
      "Blows"of quartz, crop out above the layers of slate, granite, and sandstone formation.
  6. (television)Synonym ofbutton(“the punchy or suspenseful line of dialogue that concludes a scene”)
    • 2014,Martie Cook,Write to TV: Out of Your Head and onto the Screen,page105:
      Theblowis important because it transitions the reader and eventually the audience from one scene to another.
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Translations
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Etymology 4

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FromMiddle Englishblowen,fromOld Englishblōwan,fromProto-Germanic*blōaną(compareDutchbloeien,Germanblühen), fromProto-Indo-European*bʰleh₃-(compareLatinflorēre(“to bloom”)).

Verb

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blow(third-person singular simple presentblows,present participleblowing,simple pastblew,past participleblown)

  2. Toblossom;to cause tobloomor blossom.
    • 1598–1599(first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”,inMr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies[…](First Folio), London:[…]Isaac Iaggard,andEd[ward]Blount,published1623,→OCLC,[Act IV, scene i],page114,column 2:
      You ſeeme to me asDianein her Orbe, / As chaſte as is the budde ere it beblowne:
    • 1667,John Milton,“Book V”, inParadise Lost.[…],London:[…][Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker[…];[a]nd by Robert Boulter[…];[a]nd Matthias Walker,[…],→OCLC;republished asParadise Lost in Ten Books:[…],London: Basil Montagu Pickering[…],1873,→OCLC:
      Howblowsthe citron grove.
    • 1784,William Cowper,Tirocinium; or, A Review of Schools:
      Boys are at best but pretty budsunblown,/ Whose scent and hues are rather guessed than known;
    • 1850,[Alfred, Lord Tennyson],In Memoriam,London:Edward Moxon,[…],→OCLC,Canto XXXVIII,page59:
      No joy theblowingseason gives,
      ⁠The herald melodies of spring,
      ⁠But in the songs I love to sing
      A doubtful gleam of solace lives.
    • 1859,Edward Fitzgerald,The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám: The Astronomer-Poet of Persia,page 2:
      Irám indeed is gone with all its Rose,
      And Jamshýd's Sev'n-ring'd Cup where no one knows;
      But still the Vine her ancient Ruby yields,
      And still a Garden by the Waterblows.
    • 2015January 26,Mark Diacono,“How to grow and cook cauliflower, 2015's trendiest veg”, inThe Daily Telegraph(Gardening)‎[4]:
      Romanescois slow toblowand more forgiving to grow than most cauliflowers, while being perhaps the most delicious and certainly the nuttiest-flavoured of the lot.
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Noun

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blow(pluralblows)

  1. Amassordisplayofflowers;ayield.
    • 1710,Joseph Addison,“From my own apartment, August 29”, inThe Tatler‎[5],page181:
      […]for that he believed he could shew me such ablowof tulips as was not to be matched in the whole country.
    • 1865,Walt Whitman,“When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d”,inSequel to Drum-Taps: When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d and other poems:
      […]Passing the apple-treeblowsof white and pink in the orchards, / Carrying a corpse to where it shall rest in the grave, / Night and day journeys a coffin.
  2. A display of anythingbrilliantorbright.
  3. Abloom,stateofflowering.
    roses in fullblow
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Translations
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Further reading

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Anagrams

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Middle English

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Etymology 1

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Fromblowen.

Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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Noun

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blow(pluralblowes)

  1. Ablast(of wind)
  2. Ablow(with the fist)
Descendants
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  • English:blow
  • Yola:blowe
References
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Etymology 2

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Verb

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blow

  1. Alternative form ofblowen(“to blow”)
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