blowing


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blow 1

 (blō)
v. blew (blo͞o), blown (blōn), blow·ing, blows
v.intr.
1.
a. To be in a state of motion. Used of the air or of wind.
b. To move along or be carried by the wind: Her hat blew away.
c. To move with or have strong winds: The storm blew all night.
2.
a. To expel a current of air, as from the mouth or from a bellows.
b. To produce a sound by expelling a current of air, as in sounding a wind instrument or a whistle.
c. To breathe hard; pant.
d. To release air or gas suddenly; burst or explode: The tire blew when it hit the pothole.
e. To spout moist air from the blowhole. Used of a whale.
3.
a. To fail or break down, as from being operated under extreme or improper conditions: The furnace blew during the cold snap.
b. To melt or otherwise become disabled. Used of a fuse.
4.
a. Informal To move very fast in relation to something: The boy blew past the stands on his bike.
b. Slang To go away; depart: It's time to blow.
5. Informal To boast.
6. Vulgar Slang To be disgustingly disagreeable or offensive: This movie blows.
v.tr.
1.
a. To cause to move by means of a current of air: The wind blew the boat out to sea.
b. To drive a current of air on, in, or through: blew my hair dry after I shampooed it.
c. To clear out or make free of obstruction by forcing air through: blew his nose all through allergy season.
d. To shape or form (glass, for example) by forcing air or gas through at the end of a pipe.
2.
a. To expel (air) from the mouth.
b. To cause air or gas to be expelled suddenly from: We blew a tire when we drove over the rock.
3. Music
a. To cause (a wind instrument) to sound.
b. To sound: a bugle blowing taps.
4.
a. To cause to be out of breath.
b. To allow (a winded horse) to regain its breath.
5. To demolish by the force of an explosion: An artillery shell blew our headquarters apart.
6. To lay or deposit eggs in. Used of certain insects.
7.
a. To cause to fail or break down, as by operating at extreme or improper conditions: blew the engine on the last lap.
b. To cause (a fuse) to melt or become disabled.
8. Slang
a. To spend (money) freely and rashly. See Synonyms at waste.
b. To spend money freely on; treat: blew me to a sumptuous dinner.
9.
a. Slang To spoil or lose through ineptitude: blew the audition; blew a three-goal lead. See Synonyms at botch.
b. To cause (a covert intelligence operation or operative) to be revealed and thereby jeopardized: a story in the press that blew their cover; an agent who was blown by the opposition.
10.
a. Slang To depart (a place) in a great hurry: Let's blow this city no later than noon.
b. Baseball To throw (a pitch) so fast that a batter cannot swing fast enough to hit it: blew a fastball by the batter for the strikeout.
11. Vulgar Slang To perform fellatio on.
n.
1. The act or an instance of blowing.
2.
a. A blast of air or wind.
b. A storm.
3. Informal An act of bragging.
4. Slang Cocaine.
Phrasal Verbs:
blow away Slang
1. To kill by shooting, especially with a firearm.
2. To defeat decisively.
3. To affect intensely; overwhelm: That concert blew me away.
blow in Slang
To arrive, especially when unexpected.
blow off
1. To relieve or release (pressure); let off.
2. Slang To choose not to attend or accompany: They wanted us to come along, but we blew them off.
blow out
1. To extinguish or be extinguished by a gust of air: blow out a candle.
2. To fail, as an electrical apparatus.
3. To erupt in an uncontrolled manner. Used of a gas or oil well.
4. To defeat decisively, as in a sport.
blow over
To subside, wane, or pass over with little lasting effect: The storm blew over quickly. The scandal will soon blow over.
blow up
1. To come into being: A storm blew up.
2. To fill with air; inflate: blow up a tire.
3. To enlarge (a photographic image or print).
4. To explode: bombs blowing up.
5. To lose one's temper.
Idioms:
blow a fuse/gasket Slang
To explode with anger.
blow hot and cold
To change one's opinion often on a matter; vacillate.
blow off steam
To give vent to pent-up emotion.
blow (one's) cool Slang
To lose one's composure.
blow (one's) mind Slang
To affect with intense emotion, such as amazement, excitement, or shock.
blow (one's) top/stack Informal
To lose one's temper.
blow/break open
To get a sudden, insurmountable lead in (an athletic contest).
blow out of proportion
To make more of than is reasonable; exaggerate.
blow smoke
1. To speak deceptively.
2. To brag or exaggerate.
[Middle English blowen, from Old English blāwan; see bhlē- in Indo-European roots.]

blow 2

 (blō)
n.
1. A sudden hard stroke or hit, as with the fist or an object.
2. An unexpected shock or calamity.
3. An unexpected attack; an assault.
[Middle English blaw.]

blow 3

 (blō)
intr. & tr.v. blew (blo͞o), blown (blōn), blow·ing, blows
To bloom or cause to bloom.
n.
1. A mass of blossoms: peach blow.
2. The state of blossoming: tulips in full blow.
[From Middle English blowen, to bloom, from Old English blōwan; see bhel- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.blowing - processing that involves blowing a gasblowing - processing that involves blowing a gas
insufflation - (medicine) blowing air or medicated powder into the lungs (or into some other body cavity)
processing - preparing or putting through a prescribed procedure; "the processing of newly arrived immigrants"; "the processing of ore to obtain minerals"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
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References in classic literature ?
When completed, he allowed the bubble to float slowly upward, and there could be seen the little Queen of Merryland standing in the middle of it and blowing kisses from her fingers to those below.
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But the wind, as if satisfied at last with its mischievous pranks, stopped blowing this ocean and hurried away to another part of the world to blow something else; so that the waves, not being joggled any more, began to quiet down and behave themselves.
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The bullet striking the wooden casing of the window exploded, blowing a hole completely through the wood and masonry.
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And there was a wind blowing upon me which I could not resist, swaying the very body of me till I leaned toward her, all unconscious that I leaned.
A brisk wind was blowing into the cove, and though the water was calm, rapid work was required to get us safely out.
It impressed one with its sullen determination to blow, and blow harder, and keep on blowing. And still the Ghost foamed along, racing off the miles till I was certain she was making at least eleven knots.
While running away from the wind I had not appreciated its force, but when we ceased to run I learned to my sorrow, and well-nigh to my despair, how fiercely it was really blowing. The wind balked my every effort, ripping the canvas out of my hands and in an instant undoing what I had gained by ten minutes of severest struggle.
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'I don't know what is turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.' So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
He replied, 'Two miles from this place are standing seven windmills; see, I am blowing to drive them round.'
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Before it came the scow schooners, wing-and-wing, blowing their horns for the drawbridges to open.
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As we struggled on, nearer and nearer to the sea, from which this mighty wind was blowing dead on shore, its force became more and more terrific.
I have an impression that for a long time, though I dreamed of being elsewhere and in a variety of scenes, it was always blowing in my dream.
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