blow away

blow away idiom
  1. Kill, especially by gunshot or explosion. For example, The unit reported that the whole village was blown away. This usage became particularly widespread in the 1960s, during the Vietnam War. [Slang; early 1990s]
  2. Overcome easily; defeat decisively. For example, Ann said the test would be easy; she would just blow it away, or Jim was sure his crew could blow away their opponents. [Slang; 1960s] Also see blow off, def. 5.
  3. Impress greatly, overwhelm with surprise, delight, or shock, as in That music really blew me away. [Slang; c. 1970] Also see blow one's mind.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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