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Blow Very Common

Blow has 37 different meanings across 3 categories:

Noun · Verb · Proper Noun

Definitions
Noun
1

a powerful stroke with the fist or a weapon

"a blow on the head"

2

an impact (as from a collision)

"the bump threw him off the bicycle"

3

an unfortunate happening that hinders or impedes; something that is thwarting or frustrating

"After hours of practice, a sudden rainstorm became a real blow to our chances of winning the championship."

4

an unpleasant or disappointing surprise

"it came as a shock to learn that he was injured"

5

a strong current of air

"the tree was bent almost double by the gust"

6

street names for cocaine

"The undercover officer had to be extra careful not to get caught dealing blow at the local park."

7

forceful exhalation through the nose or mouth

"he gave his nose a loud blow"

"he blew out all the candles with a single puff"

8

A strong wind.

"The greenhouse was filled with a spectacular blow of tulips after weeks of careful tending."

9

The act of striking or hitting.

10

A mass or display of flowers; a yield.

In plain English: A blow is a hard hit or strike, like when someone punches you or an object hits you with force.

"The sudden wind blow knocked over the potted plant on the porch."

Usage: Use "blow" to refer specifically to a sudden gust of wind or an impact, not to a cluster of flowers or agricultural yield. Those meanings belong to the related word "bloom," which sounds similar but refers to flowering plants and their production.

Verb
1

exhale hard

"blow on the soup to cool it down"

2

be blowing or storming

"The wind blew from the West"

3

free of obstruction by blowing air through

"blow one's nose"

4

be in motion due to some air or water current

"The leaves were blowing in the wind"

"the boat drifted on the lake"

"The sailboat was adrift on the open sea"

"the shipwrecked boat drifted away from the shore"

5

make a sound as if blown

"The whistle blew"

6

shape by blowing

"Blow a glass vase"

7

be inadequate or objectionable

"this sucks!"

"this blows!"

8

make a mess of, destroy or ruin

"I botched the dinner and we had to eat out"

"the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement"

9

spend thoughtlessly; throw away

"He wasted his inheritance on his insincere friends"

"You squandered the opportunity to get and advanced degree"

10

spend lavishly or wastefully on

"He blew a lot of money on his new home theater"

11

sound by having air expelled through a tube

"The trumpets blew"

12

play or sound a wind instrument

"She blew the horn"

13

provide sexual gratification through oral stimulation

"After a long day at work, he decided to blow his girlfriend instead of going straight to bed."

14

cause air to go in, on, or through

"Blow my hair dry"

15

cause to move by means of an air current

"The wind blew the leaves around in the yard"

16

spout moist air from the blowhole

"The whales blew"

17

leave; informal or rude

"shove off!"

"The children shoved along"

"Blow now!"

"let's blow this place"

18

lay eggs

"certain insects are said to blow"

19

cause to be revealed and jeopardized

"The story blew their cover"

"The double agent was blown by the other side"

20

show off

"He kept blowing his recent promotion to everyone he met, making sure no one missed how successful he was."

21

allow to regain its breath

"blow a horse"

22

melt, break, or become otherwise unusable

"The lightbulbs blew out"

"The fuse blew"

23

burst suddenly

"The tire blew"

"We blew a tire"

24

To produce an air current.

"The warm spring winds began to blow, causing the cherry trees to burst into vibrant pink blossoms overnight."

25

To blossom; to cause to bloom or blossom.

In plain English: To blow means to push air out of your mouth or nose, often with force.

"The strong wind blew the leaves off the trees."

Usage: In everyday usage, "blow" means to propel air forcefully, not to make something flower. Use this verb to describe wind moving objects or air escaping from an opening, as in "the wind blew the leaves" or "he blew out the candle."

Adjective
1

Blue.

"The sky turned an ominous blue just before the storm blew through town."

In plain English: Blow (adj: Blue.) Plain English Definition: "Blow" used to describe the color blue is an older, informal term for that color.

"The blow was a surprise to everyone watching."

Usage: The word "blow" is never used as an adjective to mean blue; this appears to be a confusion with the color name itself or a mishearing of words like "blue." As a verb, "blow" describes forcing air out of the mouth, while the adjective form for the color is simply "blue."

Proper Noun
1

A surname​.

"My neighbor, Mr. Blow, waved from his porch as I walked by."

Example Sentences
"The blow was a surprise to everyone watching." adj
"The sudden wind blow knocked over the potted plant on the porch." noun
"The strong wind blew the leaves off the trees." verb
See Also
wind air action candles mouth exhale king hit out
Related Terms
wind air action candles mouth exhale king hit out puff wind action movement breath extinguish candle bright hit boot undinted tunk sideswipe
Antonyms
husband
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
stroke impact happening surprise wind cocaine exhalation exhale exhaust travel sound shape be fail use spend stimulate send move spurt go lay unwrap overstate rest burst
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
backhander clip knock thwack smack smacker knockdown knockout swat whip punch box kick counterblow swing stab stinger thump uppercut hammer shot wallop jolt concussion rap pounding sideswipe slap whammy blip bluster sandblast puff insufflation pant insufflate breeze set in waft storm squall tide stream burn blast whiff gloat

Origin

The word "blow" comes from the Old English blāwan, which originally meant to breathe, inflate, or sound an instrument. It traveled into modern English through Middle English while retaining its core meaning of forcing air out.

Rhyming Words
low alow glow slow flow plow ablow bulow below allow aglow volow coflow kozlow hollow billow beblow yellow upflow replow
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