Word: blow Part of Speech: verb Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- Proto-Indo-European *-eh₁- Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₁-der. Proto-Germanic *blēaną Proto-West Germanic *blāan Old English blāwan Middle English blowen English blow From Middle English blowen, from Old English blāwan (“to blow, breathe, inflate, sound”), from Proto-West Germanic *blāan, from Proto-Germanic *blēaną (“to blow”) (compare German blähen), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₁- (“to swell, blow up”) (compare Latin flō (“to blow”) and Old Armenian բեղուն (bełun, “fertile”)). Pronunciation: /bləʊ/, /blaː/, /bloʊ/ 1. To produce an air current. Labels: intransitive Example: Lear. Blow windes, & crack your cheeks; Rage, blow / You Cataracts, and Hyrricano's ſpout, Example: Tend to th' Maſters whiſtle: Blow till thou burſt thy winde, if roome enough. 2. To propel by an air current (or, if under water, a water current), usually with the mouth. Labels: transitive Example: Blow the dust off that book and open it up. Example: To-night the winds begin to rise ⁠And roar from yonder dropping day: ⁠The last red leaf is whirl’d away, The rooks are blown about the skies; […] 3. To be propelled by an air current. Labels: intransitive Example: The leaves blow through the streets in the fall. Example: What stormy weather —the roofs are blowing off! 4. To direct or move, usually of a person to a particular location. Labels: figuratively, transitive Example: "This is an unexpected pleasure!" exclaimed he. "What good fortune blows Lady Marchmont hither?" 5. To create or shape by blowing. Labels: transitive Example: to blow bubbles Example: to blow glass 6. To force a current of air upon with the mouth, or by other means. Labels: transitive Example: to blow the fire 7. To clear of contents by forcing air through. Labels: transitive Example: to blow an egg Example: to blow one’s nose 8. To cause to make sound by blowing (as a musical instrument). Labels: transitive Example: Blow your horn! That car is about to hit us! 9. To make a sound as a result of being blown. Labels: intransitive Example: In the harbor, the ships’ horns blew. Example: There let the pealing organ blow, 10. To exhale visibly through the spout the seawater which it has taken in while feeding. Labels: intransitive Example: There’s nothing more thrilling to the whale watcher than to see a whale surface and blow. Example: There she blows! (i.e. “I see a whale spouting!”) 11. To burst or explode; to occur suddenly Labels: intransitive Example: Get away from that burning gas tank! It’s about to blow! Example: Hitler is very, very important, and something's going to blow in Europe. 12. To cause to explode, shatter, or be utterly destroyed. Labels: transitive Example: The demolition squad neatly blew the old hotel up. Example: The aerosol can was blown to bits. 13. To cause the sudden destruction of. Labels: transitive Example: He blew the tires and the engine. 14. To blow from a gun (method of executing a person). Labels: historical, transitive 15. To suddenly fail or give way destructively. Labels: intransitive Example: He tried to sprint, but his ligaments blew and he was barely able to walk to the finish line. Example: A common problem for double glazed windows (or doors) is mist or condensation between the panes of glass. This is known as a blown window or failed double glazing. But what does it cost to repair? 16. Of a vein, to suffer a rupture or puncture in the wall as a result of an injection or cannula, causing fluid (blood, medication, or saline) to leak into the surrounding tissue. Labels: informal, intransitive 17. To melt away because of overcurrent, creating a gap in a wire, thus stopping a circuit from operating. Labels: ergative 18. To recklessly squander. Labels: slang, transitive Example: I managed to blow $1000 at blackjack in under an hour. Example: I blew $35 thou on a car. 19. To fail at; to mess up; to make a mistake in. Labels: idiomatic, informal, transitive Example: I blew it and forgot to start the spaghetti, so I had plenty of sauce and no pasta. Example: Good luck, and don’t blow it! 20. To be very undesirable. Labels: intransitive, slang, stative Example: This blows! 21. To perform oral sex on (someone); to fellate. Labels: transitive, vulgar Example: Who did you have to blow to get those backstage passes? Example: The mandem all used to go round there and get head off her, the sister blowing the man line by line while her brother shotted downstairs in the stairwell. 22. To leave, especially suddenly or in a hurry. Labels: slang, transitive Example: Let’s blow this joint. Example: It's hard on a fella, when he don't know his way around If I don't find me a honey to help me spend my money I'm gonna have to blow this town. 23. To leave the Church of Scientology in an unauthorized manner. Labels: intransitive 24. To make flyblown; to defile or spoil, especially with fly eggs. Labels: transitive Example: Shall they hoyſt me vp, And ſhew me to the ſhowting Varlotarie 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 Blow me into abhorring; Example: 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 The fleſh-flie blow my mouth: heare my ſoule ſpeake. 25. (of a fly) To lay eggs; to breed (in flesh or meat). Labels: intransitive Example: […] said the bookseller, “but I cannot risk the expence of your debut - There are critics without as well as within a theatre.” - I know it, said I, interrupting him; “men who, like flies blowing on a piece of wholesome meat, can convert it into carrion - […] Example: 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, blowing on 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. 26. To spread by report; to publish; to disclose. Labels: obsolete, transitive Example: Through the court his courtesy was blown. 27. To inflate, as with pride; to puff up. Labels: obsolete, transitive Example: O peace, now he's deepely in: looke how imagination blowes him. 28. To breathe hard or quick; to pant; to puff. Labels: intransitive Example: Rob. Miſtris Ford, Miſtris Ford: heere's Miſtris Page at the doore, ſsweating, and blowing, and looking wildely, and would needs ſpeake with you preſently. 29. To put out of breath; to cause to blow from fatigue. Labels: transitive 30. To talk loudly; boast; brag. Labels: dated, intransitive Example: I don't want the worst characters in hell to be running after me with friendly messages and little testimonials of admiration for Smythe, and blowing about 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. Example: He didn't just set around and try to out sweettalk^([sic]) somebody; he got out and out-fit somebody. He wouldn't be blowing when he told his boys how he fit for the woman he got. 31. To slander, insult, critique or discredit (someone); to reprimand or scold (someone). Labels: dated, slang, transitive 32. To expose, or inform on. Labels: UK, archaic, slang, transitive Example: '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 am blown, and they will all betray me.' 33. To sing. Labels: informal, intransitive, slang Example: That girl has a wonderful voice; just listen to her blow! 34. To flatulate or defecate. Labels: colloquial, intransitive, slang Example: Uh, oh! I gotta blow!