at a blow

Variant of blow

blow definition

blow (blō)

intransitive verb blew, blown, blowing blow′·ing

  1. to move with some force: said of the wind or a current of air
  2. to send forth air with or as with the mouth
  3. to pant; be breathless
  4. to make or give sound by blowing or being blown
  5. to exhale air and condensed moisture from the lungs in a spout through the blowhole: said of whales
  6. to be carried by the wind or a current of air the paper blew away
  7. to be stormy
  8. to burst suddenly, as a tire, or melt, as a fuse: often with out
  9. to lay eggs: said of flies
  10. Informal to brag; boast
  11. ☆ Slang to go away; leave
  12. Jazz, Slang to improvise
  13. Slang to cease functioning, esp. by overuse: said of an engine, etc.

Etymology: ME blowen < OE blawan < IE *bhlē-: see blast

transitive verb

  1. to cause air to come from (a bellows, blower, etc.)
  2. to send out (breath, tobacco smoke, etc.) from the mouth
  3. to force air onto, into, or through
  4. to drive by blowing
    1. to sound (a wind instrument) by blowing
    2. to make (a sound or signal) by blowing
  6. to cool, warm, dry, or soothe by blowing on or toward
  7. to shape or form (glass, soap bubbles, etc.) by blown air or gas
  8. to clean or clear by blowing through to blow one's nose
  9. to cause to burst or break by an explosion
  10. to cause (a horse) to pant
  11. to lay or deposit eggs in: said of flies
  12. to melt (a fuse, etc.)
  13. Informal to spend (money) freely or wastefully; squander
  14. Informal to treat (to something)
  15. ☆ Informal to forget or fluff (one's lines) in a show
  16. ☆ Slang to go away from; leave he blew town
  17. ☆ Slang to bungle and fail in we had our chance and blew it
  18. blowedSlang to damn: used in euphemistic oaths
  19. Slang to inhale (cocaine, marijuana, etc.)
  20. Slang to reveal or disclose, esp. so as to compromise they blew our cover
  21. Slang, Vulgar to perform fellatio on
  22. Slang to cause (an engine, transmission, etc.) to cease functioning, esp. by overuse

noun

  1. the act of blowing
  2. a blast of air
  3. Metallurgy
    1. the blast of air forced through molten metal to remove impurities
    2. the time or stage in metal refining in which the blast of air is forced through molten metal
    3. the amount of metal that is refined during this time
  4. a strong wind; gale
  5. a boast
  6. Slang cocaine
blow Idioms

blow someone away

Slang
  1. to kill by shooting
  2. to overcome with emotion, surprise, etc.

blow hot and cold

Etymology: orig. with reference to the scent in hunting

to be favorable toward something and then opposed to it; vacillate

blow in

☆
Slang to arrive

blow someone's mind

☆
Slang to astound, amaze, confuse, etc.

blow off

  1. to let steam or hot water out from (a boiler)
  2. Informal to give vent to one's feelings, as by loud or long talking
  3. ☆ Slang to ignore, disregard, or reject

blow out

  1. to put out (a fire or flame) by blowing
  2. to be put out in this way
  3. to dispel (itself) after a time: said of a storm

blow over

  1. to move away, as rain clouds
  2. to pass over or by; be forgotten

blow one's stack

or blow one's top or blow one's lid☆
Slang to lose one's temper; fly into a rage

blow up

  1. to fill with or as with air or gas
  2. to burst or explode
  3. to arise and become more intense, as a storm
  4. to enlarge (a photograph)
  5. to exaggerate (an incident, rumor, etc.)
  6. Informal to lose one's temper or poise

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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