blow¹ (blō)

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[Middle English blowen, from Old English blāwan.]

verb: blew (blōō), blown (blōn), blow·ing, blows. 

intransitive verb 

1. To be in a state of motion. Used of the air or of wind.
2. To move along or be carried by or as if by the wind: Her hat blew away.
3. To expel a current of air, as from the mouth or from a bellows.
4. To produce a sound by expelling a current of air, as in sounding a wind instrument or a whistle.
5. To breathe hard; pant.
6. To storm: It blew all night.
7. To release air or gas suddenly; burst or explode: The tire blew.
8. 1. To fail or break down, as from being operated under extreme or improper conditions: The furnace blew during the cold snap.
   2. To melt or otherwise become disabled. Used of a fuse.
9. To spout moist air from the blowhole. Used of a whale.
10. Informal To boast.
11. Slang To go away; depart.

transitive verb 

1. To cause to move by means of a current of air.
2. To expel (air) from the mouth.
3. To cause air or gas to be expelled suddenly from: blew a tire.
4. To drive a current of air on, in, or through: blew my hair dry after I shampooed it.
5. To clear out or make free of obstruction by forcing air through: constantly blowing his nose in allergy season.
6. To shape or form (glass, for example) by forcing air or gas through at the end of a pipe.
7. Music
   1. To cause (a wind instrument) to sound.
   2. To sound: a bugle blowing taps.
8. 1. To cause to be out of breath.
   2. To allow (a winded horse) to regain its breath.
9. To demolish by the force of an explosion: An artillery shell blew our headquarters apart.
10. To lay or deposit eggs in. Used of certain insects.
11. 1. To cause to fail or break down, as by operating at extreme or improper conditions: blew the engine on the last lap.
    2. To cause (a fuse) to melt or become disabled.
12. Slang
    1. To spend (money) freely and rashly. See synonyms at waste
    2. To spend money freely on; treat: blew me to a sumptuous dinner.
13. Vulgar Slang To perform fellatio on.
14. 1. Slang To spoil or lose through ineptitude. See synonyms at botch
    2. 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.
15. Slang To depart (a place) in a great hurry: Let's blow this city no later than noon.

noun 

1. The act or an instance of blowing.
2. 1. A blast of air or wind.
   2. A storm.
3. Informal An act of bragging.
4. Slang Cocaine.

phrasal verbs

blow away

To kill by shooting, especially with a firearm.

To defeat decisively.

To affect intensely; overwhelm: That concert blew me away.

blow in

To arrive, especially when unexpected.

blow off

To relieve or release (pressure); let off.

Slang To choose not to attend or accompany: They wanted us to come along, but we blew them off.

blow out

To extinguish or be extinguished by a gust of air: blow out a candle.

To fail, as an electrical apparatus.

To erupt in an uncontrolled manner. Used of a gas or oil well.

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

To come into being: A storm blew up.

To fill with air; inflate: blow up a tire.

To enlarge (a photographic image or print).

To explode: bombs blowing up.

To lose one's temper.

idioms

blow a fuse

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

To lose one's composure.

blow (one's) mind

To affect with intense emotion, such as amazement, excitement, or shock.

blow (one's) top

To lose one's temper.

blow out of proportion

To make more of than is reasonable; exaggerate.

blow smoke

To speak deceptively. To brag or exaggerate.