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blast

 - 13 dictionary results

blast

  [blast, blahst]
Use blast in a Sentence
–noun
1. a sudden and violent gust of wind: Wintry blasts chilled us to the marrow.
2. the blowing of a trumpet, whistle, etc.: One blast of the siren was enough to clear the street.
3. a loud, sudden sound or noise: The radio let out an awful blast before I could turn it off.
4. a forcible stream of air from the mouth, bellows, or the like.
5. Machinery.
a. air forced into a furnace by a blower to increase the rate of combustion.
b. a jet of steam directed up a smokestack, as of a steam locomotive, to increase draft.
c. a draft thus increased.
6. a forceful or explosive throw, hit, etc.: a blast down the third-base line.
7. Slang.
a. a party or riotously good time: Did we have a blast last night!
b. something that gives great pleasure or enjoyment; thrill; treat: My new electronic game is a blast.
8. a vigorous outburst of criticism; attack.
9. blast wave.
10. Mining, Civil Engineering. the charge of dynamite or other explosive used at one firing in blasting operations.
11. the act of exploding; explosion: Some say the blast was in the next county.
12. any pernicious or destructive influence, esp. on animals or plants; a blight.
13. the sudden death of buds, flowers, or young fruit.
–verb (used with object)
14. to make a loud noise on; blow (a trumpet, automobile horn, etc.): He blasted his horn irritably at every car in his way.
15. to cause to shrivel or wither; blight.
16. to affect with any pernicious influence; ruin; destroy: Failure in the exam blasted her hopes for college. It was an indiscretion that blasted his good reputation.
17. to break up or dislodge (a tree stump, rock, etc.): Their explosives were inadequate to blast the granite.
18. to make, form, open up, etc., by blasting: to blast a tunnel through a mountain.
19. to show to be false, unreliable, etc.; discredit: His facts soundly blasted the new evidence.
20. Informal. to curse; damn (usually fol. by it or an object): Blast it, there's the phone again! Blast the time, we've got to finish this work.
21. to censure or criticize vigorously; denounce: In his campaign speech he really blasts the other party.
22. to hit or propel with great force: He blasted a homer that tied the game. They were blasted into outer space.
23. to shoot: The terrorists blasted him down.
–verb (used without object)
24. to produce a loud, blaring sound: The trumpets blasted as the overture began. His voice blasted until the microphone was turned down.
25. to shoot: He whipped out his revolver and started blasting.
26. Slang. to take narcotics.
—Verb phrase
27. blast off,
a. (of a rocket) to leave a launch pad under its own power.
b. (of an astronaut) to travel aloft in a rocket.
—Idiom
28. at full blast, at maximum capacity; at or with full volume or speed: The factory is going at full blast. Also, full blast.
Origin:
bef. 1000; 1955–60 for def. 7a; ME (n. and v.); OE blǣst (n.) a blowing; akin to ON blāstr, OHG blāst (deriv. of blāsan, c. Goth ufblēsan, ON blāsa). See blow 2

Related forms:
blaster, noun
blasty, adjective

Synonyms:
1. squall, gale, blow, storm. See wind 1 . 2. blare, screech. 11. discharge, outburst. 16. annihilate.

-blast

 
var. of blasto- as final element of a compound word: ectoblast.

blasto-

 
a combining form meaning “bud, sprout,” “embryo,” “formative cells or cell layer,” used in the formation of compound words: blastosphere.
Also, -blast.

Origin:
< Gk, comb. form of blastós a bud, sprout

blast wave

 
–noun
a violent propagating disturbance, produced by an explosion in air, that consists of an abrupt rise in pressure followed by a drop in pressure to or below atmospheric pressure.
Also, blast.
Compare shock wave.

Origin:
1935–40
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To blast
blast   (blāst)   
n.  

    1. A very strong gust of wind or air.

    2. The effect of such a gust.

    3. A sudden loud sound, especially one produced by a stream of forced air: a piercing blast from the steam whistle.

    4. The act of producing such a sound: gave a blast on his trumpet.

    5. A violent explosion, as of dynamite or a bomb.

    6. The violent effect of such an explosion, consisting of a wave of increased atmospheric pressure followed immediately by a wave of decreased pressure.

    7. An explosive charge.

  2. A forcible stream of air, gas, or steam from an opening, especially one in a blast furnace to aid combustion.

    1. A sudden loud sound, especially one produced by a stream of forced air: a piercing blast from the steam whistle.

    2. The act of producing such a sound: gave a blast on his trumpet.

    3. A violent explosion, as of dynamite or a bomb.

    4. The violent effect of such an explosion, consisting of a wave of increased atmospheric pressure followed immediately by a wave of decreased pressure.

    5. An explosive charge.

    1. A violent explosion, as of dynamite or a bomb.

    2. The violent effect of such an explosion, consisting of a wave of increased atmospheric pressure followed immediately by a wave of decreased pressure.

    3. An explosive charge.

  5. Botany Any of several plant diseases of diverse causes, resulting in sudden death of buds, flowers, foliage, or young fruits.

  6. A destructive or damaging influence.

  7. A powerful hit, blow, or shot.

  8. A violent verbal assault or outburst: The candidate leveled a blast at her opponent.

  9. Slang A highly exciting or pleasurable experience or event, such as a big party.

v.   blast·ed, blast·ing, blasts

v.   tr.

  1. To knock down or shatter by or as if by explosion; smash.

  2. To play or sound loudly: The referees blasted their whistles.

    1. To hit with great force: The batter blasted the ball to right field.

    2. To kill or destroy by hitting or shooting.

  4. To have a harmful or destructive effect on.

  5. To cause to shrivel, wither, or mature imperfectly by or as if by blast or blight: crops that were blasted by frost.

  6. To make or open by or as if by explosion: blast a tunnel through the mountains.

  7. To criticize or attack vigorously.

v.   intr.

  1. To use or detonate explosives.

  2. To emit a loud, intense sound; blare: speakers blasting at full volume.

  3. To wither or shrivel or mature imperfectly.

  4. To criticize or attack with vigor.

  5. To shoot.

  6. Electronics To distort sound recording or transmission by overloading a microphone or loudspeaker.

Phrasal Verb(s):
blast offTo take off, as a rocket.

Idiom(s):
full blastAt full speed, volume, or capacity: turned the radio up full blast.

[Middle English, from Old English blǣst; see bhlē- in Indo-European roots.]
blast'er n.
Synonyms: These verbs mean to have a pernicious, destructive, or ruinous effect on something: actions that blasted the chance for peace; hopes blighted by ill wishes; ambitions dashed by lack of funds; plans nipped in the bud; a life wrecked by depression.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Slang Dictionary
blast

  1. n.
    an exciting party. : What a blast we had!
  2. n.
    a thrill; a kick. : The roller coaster was a blast.
  3. tv.
    to shoot someone with a gun. : The speeding car drove by, and somebody tried to blast him with a machine gun.
  4. tv.
    to attack or criticize someone or something verbally. : He blasted his brother until we all left in embarrassment.
  5. n.
    a verbal attack. : The senator leveled a blast at the administration.
  6. n.
    the kick or rushfrom taking or injecting a drug. (Drugs.) : With a blast like that, somebody's gonna get hooked fast.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Word Origin & History

blast 
O.E. blæst "puff of wind," from PIE *bhle-, var. of base *bhel- "to swell, blow up" (see bole). Meaning "explosion" is from 1635; that of "noisy party, good time" is from 1953, Amer.Eng. slang. Sense of "strong current of air for iron-smelting" (1697) led to blast furnace and transf. sense in full blast "the extreme" (1839). Blast was the usual word for "a smoke of tobacco" c.1600. Blast off first recorded 1951.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1blast
Pronunciation: 'blast
Function: noun
1 : an explosion or violent detonation
2 : the violent effectproduced in the vicinity of an explosion that consists of a wave of increased atmospheric pressure followed by a wave of decreased atmospheric pressure —blast verb

Main Entry: 2blast
Function: noun
: BLAST CELL
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

-blast suff.
An immature, embryonic stage in the development of cells or tissues: erythroblast.

blasto- or blast-
pref.
Bud; germ; budding; germination: blastocyst.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Computing Dictionary

blast
1. BLT, used especially for large data sends over a network or comm line. Opposite of snarf. Usage: uncommon. The variant "blat" has been reported.
2. [HP/Apollo] Synonymous with nuke. Sometimes the message "Unable to kill all processes. Blast them (y/n)?" would appear in the command window upon logout.

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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Idioms & Phrases

blast

In addition to the idiom beginning with blast, also see full blast.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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