blow in English
- blow⇄blow (1), noun.
1. a hard hit; knock; stroke.
Ex. The boxer struck his opponent a blow that knocked him down.
2. a sudden happening that causes misfortune or loss; severe shock.
Ex. His mother's death was a great blow to him.blow⇄blow (2), verb, blew,blown,blowing,noun.blow⇄blow (3), noun, verb, blew,blown,blowing.blow⇄expr. at one blow, by one act or effort.
Ex. What it is at one blow to be deserted by a lovely and fascinating creature (Dickens).blow⇄expr. blow away, (U.S. Slang.) to kill or destroy.
Ex. Like a pack of wolves ... they are looking for somebody to blow away (Time).blow⇄expr. blow hot and cold, to alternate from a favorable opinion to an unfavorable one; be changeable.
Ex. He blows hot and cold about his job.blow⇄expr. blow in, (Slang.) to appear unexpectedly; drop in.
Ex. He blow in on his way to Chicago.blow⇄expr. blow into, (Slang.) to appear unexpectedly in.
Ex. He blew into town.blow⇄expr. blow off,
a. to get rid of (steam, energy, or the like) noisily or violently.
Ex. ... blowing off their superfluous energy in singing and shouting (Christian Commonwealth).
b. (of steam or the like) to escape noisily or violentlblow⇄expr. blow on, (British Informal.) to penalize.
Ex. the umpires blew on one player, and from the resulting 40-yard penalty Neville scored the winning goal (London Times).blow⇄expr. blow one's mind. See under mind (1).blow⇄expr. blow out,
a. to put out or be put out by a current of air.
Ex. He blew out the candle. The candle blew out.
b. to suffer a blowout.
Ex. The worn tire blew out.
c. to have or cause a blowout in.
Ex. The impactblow⇄expr. blow over,
a. to pass by or over; cease; subside.
Ex. The storm has blown over.
b. (Figurative.) to be forgotten.
Ex. In time the scandal blew over.blow⇄expr. blow up,
a. to explode.
Ex. The ammunition ship blew up and sank when it hit the rocks.
b. to fill with air; inflate.
Ex. to blow up a bicycle tire.
c. (Informal.) to lose one's temper; become very angry.
Ex.blow⇄expr. come to blows, to start fighting.
Ex. After a few harsh words the two boys came to blows.blow⇄expr. strike a blow,
a. to hit.
Ex. to strike a blow in self-defense.
b. to cause a setback; inflict harm.
Ex. Syria strikes a blow at itself (Manchester Guardian Weekly).
c. to make an effort to accomplish; advance the cblow⇄noun 1. a state of blossoming; bloom.
2. a display of blossoms.blow⇄noun 1. the act or fact of forcing air upon, into, through, or against something; blast; blowing.
2. a gale of wind.
Ex. Last night's big blow brought down several trees.
3. a blowing of a wind instrument; blast.
4. (Figurativeblow⇄v.i. to blossom; bloom.blow⇄v.i. 1. to send forth a strong current of air.
Ex. Blow on the fire or it will goout.
2. to move rapidly or with power; move in a current.
Ex. The wind blows in gusts.
3. to be driven or carried by a current of air; move beforeblow⇄v.t. 1. to drive or carry by a current of air.
Ex. The wind blew the curtains. She blew a kiss to her mother.
2. to force a current of air into, through, or against.
Ex. to blow the fire into flame. He blew a whiff from his pipe.
blow in Gujarati ગુજરાતી
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Blow
Part of Speech
Verb, Noun
Pronunciation
/bləʊ/ (British), /bloʊ/ (American)
Definitions
- Verb (transitive): To expel air forcibly from the mouth, often with a puffing motion.
- Verb (intransitive): To be carried by the wind; to move or travel by means of wind.
- Verb (transitive): To strike or hit forcefully, especially with the hand or a weapon.
- Verb (intransitive): To fail or be ruined, as in a business "blowing up."
- Noun: A powerful or violent force of air; a gust of wind.
- Noun: An impact or hit, typically a blow to the head or body.
Usage Examples
- He blew out the candles on his birthday cake.
- The wind began to blow fiercely, uprooting trees.
- She blew him a kiss from across the room.
- His business went under after a big financial blow.
Etymology
Middle English "blowen," from Old English "blowan," from Proto-Germanic *blawjaną (to blow). The word has Indo-European roots and shares cognates with words in other languages, such as Dutch "blazen" and German "blasen." The meaning of blowing air or striking has evolved over centuries, influencing multiple modern uses of the word.
Synonyms
- Exhale
- Puff
- Blast
- Strike
- Hit
Antonyms
- Inhale
- Hold
- Save
- Press
Translations
Language | Translation | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
Spanish | Soplar | soh-PLAR |
French | Souffler | soo-FLAY |
German | Blasen | BLAA-zen |
Italian | Soffiare | so-FYAH-reh |
Portuguese | Soprar | soh-PRAHR |
Chinese (Simplified) | 吹 | chuī |
Japanese | 吹く | fuku |
Korean | 불다 | bulda |
Russian | Дуть | dútʹ |
Arabic | نفخ | nafkh |
Hindi | फेंकना | phenkna |
Bengali | প吹ানো | phēnāo |
Tamil | படைத்தல் | paṭaittal |
Telugu | గాలి వాయించడం | gaali vaayinchadam |
Malayalam | പുക വച്ചുകേൾക്കുക | puka vaṟṟuka |
Gujarati | હવામાન વાવવો | havamaan vaavvo |
Punjabi | ਹਵਾ ਦੀ ਟਹਿਣੀ | havā dī ṭahīṇī |
Marathi | वारा फेकणे | vāra phēkaṇē |
Odia | ପଟେଇବା | paṭē'ibā |
Sinhala | පාවෙන්න | pāvenna |
Urdu | ہوا دینا | hawā denā |
Regional Pronunciation Variations
- British English: /bləʊ/
- American English: /bloʊ/
- Australian English: /bloʊ/
Historical Usage
In Old English, the word "blow" referred to both the act of blowing air and striking a blow. It evolved from Proto-Germanic and Proto-Indo-European roots, becoming associated with wind and breath. Over time, "blow" expanded to include metaphorical meanings, such as to indicate failure or destruction, as in the phrase "a major blow." It has remained in common usage for both its physical and figurative meanings.
Cultural Nuances
In various cultures, the concept of a "blow" can have both literal and metaphorical significance. A physical blow might refer to an actual punch or strike, often related to combat or sports. In contrast, the metaphorical "blow" often symbolizes loss, disappointment, or destruction. For instance, "a blow to the economy" refers to a significant setback, while in sports, "blow" can signify a critical mistake. The versatility of the word extends to other contexts like blowing a whistle in sports or blowing off steam when one is upset.
More Information
The verb "blow" has numerous applications across different contexts, from physical actions (blowing air or hitting) to metaphorical meanings (suffering a loss, making a mistake). It is central to expressions in various forms of speech, such as "blow hot and cold," "blow off steam," and "blow the whistle." Its wide-ranging use reflects its essential role in communication, denoting both the literal expulsion of air and a variety of figurative meanings that have evolved over time.