blow

pronunciation

How to pronounce blow in British English: UK [bləʊ] word uk audio image

How to pronounce blow in American English: US [bloʊ] word us audio image

Noun:

a powerful stroke with the fist or a weapon
an impact (as from a collision)
an unfortunate happening that hinders of impedes; something that is thwarting or frustrating
an unpleasant or disappointing surprise
a strong current of air
street names for cocaine
forceful exhalation through the nose or mouth
Verb:

exhale hard
be blowing or storming
free of obstruction by blowing air through
be in motion due to some air or water current
make a sound as if blown
shape by blowing
make a mess of, destroy or ruin
spend thoughtlessly; throw away
spend lavishly or wastefully on
sound by having air expelled through a tube
play or sound a wind instrument
provide sexual gratification through oral stimulation
cause air to go in, on, or through
cause to move by means of an air current
spout moist air from the blowhole
leave; informal or rude
lay eggs
cause to be revealed and jeopardized
show off
allow to regain its breath
melt, break, or become otherwise unusable
burst suddenly

Word Origin

blow: blow: There are three distinct blows in English. The commonest, the verb ‘send out air’ [OE], can be traced back to an Indo-European base *bhlā-. It came into English (as Old English blāwan) via Germanic *blǣ-, source also of bladder. The Indo-European base also produced Latin flāre ‘blow’, from which English gets flatulent and inflate.The other verb blow, ‘come into flower’ [OE], now archaic, comes ultimately from Indo-European *bhlō-. It entered English (as Old English blōwan) via Germanic *blo-, from which English also gets bloom and probably blade. A variant form of the Indo-European base with -s- produced Latin flōs (source of English flower) and English blossom.The noun blow ‘hard hit’ [15] is altogether more mysterious. It first appears, in the form blaw, in northern and Scottish texts, and it has been connected with a hypothetical Germanic *bleuwan ‘strike’.=> bladder, flatulent, inflate; blade, bloom, blossom, flower

blow (v.1): "move air," Old English blawan "blow, breathe, make an air current; kindle; inflate; sound a wind instrument" (class VII strong verb; past tense bleow, past participle blawen), from Proto-Germanic *blæ-anan (source of Old High German blaen, German blähen), from PIE *bhle- "to swell, blow up" (source of Latin flare "to blow"), an extended form, possibly identical with *bhel- (2) "to blow, swell" (see bole). Meaning "to squander" (of money) is from 1874. Sense of "depart suddenly" is from 1902. Slang "do fellatio on" sense is from 1933, as blow (someone) off, originally among prostitutes (compare blow job). This usage probably is not connected to the colloquial imprecation (1781, associated with sailors, as in Popeye's "well, blow me down!"), which has past participle blowed. Meaning "to spend (money) foolishly and all at once" is 1890s; that of "bungle an opportunity" is from 1943. To blow over "pass" is from 1610s, originally of storms. To blow (someone's) mind was in use by 1967; there is a song title "Blow Your Mind" released in a 1965 Mirawood recording by a group called The Gas Company.

blow (v.2): "to bloom, blossom" (intransitive), from Old English blowan "to flower, blossom, flourish," from Proto-Germanic *blæ- (cognates: Old Saxon bloian, Old Frisian bloia, Middle Dutch and Dutch bloeien, Old High German bluoen, German blühen), from PIE *bhle-, extended form of *bhel- (2) "to blow, inflate, swell" (see bole). This word is the source of the blown in full-blown.

blow (n.1): "hard hit," mid-15c., blowe, from northern and East Midlands dialects, perhaps from Middle Dutch blouwen "to beat," a common Germanic word of unknown origin (compare German bleuen, Gothic bliggwan "to strike"). Influenced in English by blow (v.1). In reference to descriptions or accounts, blow-by-blow is recorded from 1921, American English, originally of prize-fight broadcasts. LIKE a hungry kitten loves its saucer of warm milk, so do radio fans joyfully listen to the blow-by-blow broadcast description of a boxing bout. ["The Wireless Age," December 1922]