BLOW (blew, blown)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does blow mean? 

• BLOW (noun)
  The noun BLOW has 7 senses:

1. a powerful stroke with the fist or a weapon

2. an impact (as from a collision)

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

4. an unpleasant or disappointing surprise

5. a strong current of air

6. street names for cocaine

7. forceful exhalation through the nose or mouth

  Familiarity information: BLOW used as a noun is common.

• BLOW (verb)
  The verb BLOW has 23 senses:

1. exhale hard

2. be blowing or storming

3. free of obstruction by blowing air through

4. be in motion due to some air or water current

5. make a sound as if blown

6. shape by blowing

7. be inadequate or objectionable

8. make a mess of, destroy or ruin

9. spend thoughtlessly; throw away

10. spend lavishly or wastefully on

11. sound by having air expelled through a tube

12. play or sound a wind instrument

13. provide sexual gratification through oral stimulation

14. cause air to go in, on, or through

15. cause to move by means of an air current

16. spout moist air from the blowhole

17. leave; informal or rude

18. lay eggs

19. cause to be revealed and jeopardized

20. show off

21. allow to regain its breath

22. melt, break, or become otherwise unusable

23. burst suddenly

  Familiarity information: BLOW used as a verb is very familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BLOW (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A powerful stroke with the fist or a weapon

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

a blow on the head

Hypernyms ("blow" is a kind of...):

stroke (a single complete movement)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "blow"):

box (a blow with the hand (usually on the ear))

wallop (a severe blow)

shot (a blow hard enough to cause injury)

hammer; hammering; pound; pounding (the act of pounding (delivering repeated heavy blows))

uppercut (a swinging blow directed upward (especially at an opponent's chin))

thump (a heavy blow with the hand)

stinger (a sharp stinging blow)

knife thrust; stab; thrust (a strong blow with a knife or other sharp pointed instrument)

swing (a sweeping blow or stroke)

counterblow (a return blow; a retaliatory blow)

boot; kick; kicking (the act of delivering a blow with the foot)

biff; clout; lick; poke; punch; slug ((boxing) a blow with the fist)

lash; whip; whiplash (a quick blow delivered with a whip or whiplike object)

swat (a sharp blow)

kayo; knockout; KO (a blow that renders the opponent unconscious)

knockdown (a blow that knocks the opponent off his feet)

smacker (a very powerful blow with the fist)

slap; smack; smacking (the act of smacking something; a blow delivered with an open hand)

thwack (a hard blow with a flat object)

belt; knock; rap; whack; whang (the act of hitting vigorously)

clip (a sharp slanting blow)

backhander (a backhanded blow)

Holonyms ("blow" is a part of...):

combat; fight; fighting; scrap (the act of fighting; any contest or struggle)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An impact (as from a collision)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

blow; bump

Context example:

the bump threw him off the bicycle

Hypernyms ("blow" is a kind of...):

impact (the striking of one body against another)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "blow"):

slap; smack (a blow from a flat object (as an open hand))

concussion (any violent blow)

sideswipe (a glancing blow from or on the side of something (especially motor vehicles))

buffeting; pounding (repeated heavy blows)

rap; strike; tap (a gentle blow)

jar; jolt; jounce; shock (a sudden jarring impact)

bang; bash; belt; knock; smash (a vigorous blow)

Sense 3

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

black eye; blow; reversal; reverse; setback

Hypernyms ("blow" is a kind of...):

happening; natural event; occurrence; occurrent (an event that happens)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "blow"):

whammy (a serious or devastating setback)

Sense 4

Meaning:

An unpleasant or disappointing surprise

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

blow; shock

Context example:

it came as a shock to learn that he was injured

Hypernyms ("blow" is a kind of...):

surprise (a sudden unexpected event)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "blow"):

blip (a sudden minor shock or meaningless interruption)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A strong current of air

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Synonyms:

blast; blow; gust

Context example:

the tree was bent almost double by the gust

Hypernyms ("blow" is a kind of...):

air current; current of air; wind (air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "blow"):

bluster (a violent gusty wind)

sandblast (a blast of wind laden with sand)

puff; puff of air; whiff (a short light gust of air)

Derivation:

blow (be in motion due to some air or water current)

blow (cause to move by means of an air current)

blow (be blowing or storming)

blowy (abounding in or exposed to the wind or breezes)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Street names for cocaine

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

blow; C; coke; nose candy; snow

Hypernyms ("blow" is a kind of...):

cocain; cocaine (a narcotic (alkaloid) extracted from coca leaves; used as a surface anesthetic or taken for pleasure; can become powerfully addictive)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Forceful exhalation through the nose or mouth

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

blow; puff

Context example:

he blew out all the candles with a single puff

Hypernyms ("blow" is a kind of...):

breathing out; exhalation; expiration (the act of expelling air from the lungs)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "blow"):

insufflation (an act of blowing or breathing on or into something)

Derivation:

blow (free of obstruction by blowing air through)

blow (shape by blowing)

blow (spout moist air from the blowhole)

blow (make a sound as if blown)

blow (exhale hard)

• BLOW (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Exhale hard

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Context example:

blow on the soup to cool it down

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

breathe out; exhale; expire (expel air)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "blow"):

gasp; heave; pant; puff (breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted)

chuff; huff; puff (blow hard and loudly)

insufflate (blow or breathe hard on or into)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

blow (forceful exhalation through the nose or mouth)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Be blowing or storming

Classified under:

Verbs of raining, snowing, thawing, thundering

Context example:

The wind blew from the West

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "blow"):

breeze (blow gently and lightly)

set in (blow toward the shore)

waft (blow gently)

storm (blow hard)

squall (blow in a squall)

bluster (blow hard; be gusty, as of wind)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
It is ----ing
Something is ----ing PP

Sentence example:

It was blowing all day long

Derivation:

blow (a strong current of air)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Free of obstruction by blowing air through

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Context example:

blow one's nose

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

discharge; eject; exhaust; expel; release (eliminate (a substance))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

blow (forceful exhalation through the nose or mouth)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Be in motion due to some air or water current

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

be adrift; blow; drift; float

Context example:

the shipwrecked boat drifted away from the shore

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Verb group:

float (move lightly, as if suspended)

drift (cause to be carried by a current)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "blow"):

waft (be driven or carried along, as by the air)

stream (to extend, wave or float outward, as if in the wind)

tide (be carried with the tide)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

blow (a strong current of air)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Make a sound as if blown

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Context example:

The whistle blew

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

go; sound (make a certain noise or sound)

Verb group:

blow (play or sound a wind instrument)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

blow (forceful exhalation through the nose or mouth)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Shape by blowing

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

Blow a glass vase

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

form; shape (give shape or form to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

blow (forceful exhalation through the nose or mouth)

blowing (processing that involves blowing a gas)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Be inadequate or objectionable

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

blow; suck

Context example:

this blows!

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 8

Meaning:

Make a mess of, destroy or ruin

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

ball up; blow; bobble; bodge; bollix; bollix up; bollocks; bollocks up; botch; botch up; bumble; bungle; flub; fluff; foul up; fuck up; fumble; louse up; mess up; mishandle; muck up; muff; screw up; spoil

Context example:

the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

fail; go wrong; miscarry (be unsuccessful)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Sense 9

Meaning:

Spend thoughtlessly; throw away

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

blow; squander; waste

Context example:

You squandered the opportunity to get and advanced degree

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

expend; use (use up, consume fully)

Verb group:

blow (spend lavishly or wastefully on)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "blow"):

burn (spend (significant amounts of money))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 10

Meaning:

Spend lavishly or wastefully on

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

He blew a lot of money on his new home theater

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

drop; expend; spend (pay out)

Verb group:

blow; squander; waste (spend thoughtlessly; throw away)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something on somebody

Sense 11

Meaning:

Sound by having air expelled through a tube

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Context example:

The trumpets blew

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

go; sound (make a certain noise or sound)

Verb group:

blow (play or sound a wind instrument)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 12

Meaning:

Play or sound a wind instrument

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Context example:

She blew the horn

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

sound (cause to sound)

Verb group:

blow (make a sound as if blown)

blow (sound by having air expelled through a tube)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 13

Meaning:

Provide sexual gratification through oral stimulation

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

blow; fellate; go down on; suck

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

excite; stimulate; stir (stir feelings in)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 14

Meaning:

Cause air to go in, on, or through

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

Blow my hair dry

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

direct; send (cause to go somewhere)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "blow"):

blast (apply a draft or strong wind to to)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

blower (a device that produces a current of air)

blower (a fan run by an electric motor)

Sense 15

Meaning:

Cause to move by means of an air current

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

The wind blew the leaves around in the yard

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

displace; move (cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "blow"):

whiff (drive or carry as if by a puff of air)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

blow (a strong current of air)

blower (a device that produces a current of air)

blower (a fan run by an electric motor)

Sense 16

Meaning:

Spout moist air from the blowhole

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

The whales blew

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

gush; spirt; spout; spurt (gush forth in a sudden stream or jet)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

blow (forceful exhalation through the nose or mouth)

Sense 17

Meaning:

Leave; informal or rude

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

blow; shove along; shove off

Context example:

let's blow this place

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

depart; go; go away (move away from a place into another direction)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 18

Meaning:

Lay eggs

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

certain insects are said to blow

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

lay; put down; repose (put in a horizontal position)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 19

Meaning:

Cause to be revealed and jeopardized

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

The double agent was blown by the other side

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

break; bring out; disclose; discover; divulge; expose; give away; let on; let out; reveal; uncover; unwrap (make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 20

Meaning:

Show off

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

blow; bluster; boast; brag; gas; gasconade; shoot a line; swash; tout; vaunt

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

amplify; exaggerate; hyperbolise; hyperbolize; magnify; overdraw; overstate (to enlarge beyond bounds or the truth)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "blow"):

puff (speak in a blustering or scornful manner)

crow; gloat; triumph (dwell on with satisfaction)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Somebody ----s to somebody

Sense 21

Meaning:

Allow to regain its breath

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

blow a horse

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

rest (give a rest to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 22

Meaning:

Melt, break, or become otherwise unusable

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

blow; blow out; burn out

Context example:

The fuse blew

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

break; break down; conk out; die; fail; give out; give way; go; go bad (stop operating or functioning)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 23

Meaning:

Burst suddenly

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

We blew a tire

Hypernyms (to "blow" is one way to...):

break open; burst; split (come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

But now John put his hand into his pocket, brought out a whistle, and blew upon it several modulated blasts that rang far across the heated air.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Outside, the stars were shining coldly in a cloudless sky, and the breath of the passers-by blew out into smoke like so many pistol shots.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I fell upon him, and as I held him my comrade blew a shrill call upon a whistle.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

All day the wind blew and the snow fell, and all day we travelled, while our stomachs gnawed their desire and our bodies grew weaker with every step they took.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

The wish of procuring her regard, which she had assured herself of his feeling in Derbyshire, could not in rational expectation survive such a blow as this.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

The fresh breeze was blowing right down upon us, and I could hear the whistle plainly, off to one side and a little ahead.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The snow was now falling more heavily, and swirled about fiercely, for a high wind was beginning to blow.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

It is possible that a big star blew the bubble and, because stars are all in motion, subsequently left the scene, escaping detection.

(Herschel sees budding stars and a giant, strange ring, NASA)

The number of people who develop blood antibodies to the red meat allergen without having full-blown symptoms is much higher — as much as 20 percent of the population in some areas, the researchers say.

(Researchers have found a link between allergen in red meat and heart disease, National Institutes of Health)

Do you think that could be anything to a man who has struck down seven at one blow?

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)