Advertisement
Advertisement
blast
1[ blast ]
noun
- a sudden and violent gust of wind:
Wintry blasts chilled us to the marrow.
- the blowing of a trumpet, whistle, etc.:
One blast of the siren was enough to clear the street.
- a loud, sudden sound or noise:
The radio let out an awful blast before I could turn it off.
- a forcible stream of air from the mouth, bellows, or the like.
- Machinery.
- air forced into a furnace by a blower to increase the rate of combustion.
- a jet of steam directed up a smokestack, as of a steam locomotive, to increase draft.
- a draft thus increased.
- a forceful or explosive throw, hit, etc.:
a blast down the third-base line.
- Slang.
- a party or riotously good time:
Did we have a blast last night!
- a vigorous outburst of criticism; attack.
- an electronic message sent simultaneously to a large number of people: e-blast advertising;
an email blast;
e-blast advertising;
an SMS text blast.
- Mining, Civil Engineering. the charge of dynamite or other explosive used at one firing in blasting operations.
- the act of exploding; explosion:
Some say the blast was in the next county.
Synonyms: outburst, detonation
- any pernicious or destructive influence, especially on animals or plants; a blight.
- the sudden death of buds, flowers, or young fruit.
verb (used with object)
- to play loudly or make a loud noise on:
to blast rock music;
to blast a horn.
- to cause to shrivel or wither; blight.
Failure in the exam blasted her hopes for college.
It was an indiscretion that blasted his good reputation.
Synonyms: demolish
- to shatter, break up, or dislodge by or as if by an explosion:
Their explosives were inadequate to blast the granite.
- to make, form, open up, etc., by blasting:
to blast a tunnel through a mountain.
- to show to be false, unreliable, etc.; discredit:
His facts soundly blasted the new evidence.
Blast it, there's the phone again!
Blast the time, we've got to finish this work.
- to censure or criticize vigorously; denounce:
In his campaign speech he really blasts the other party.
- to hit or propel with great force: They were blasted into outer space.
He blasted a homer that tied the game.
They were blasted into outer space.
- to shoot:
The terrorists blasted him down.
verb (used without object)
- to produce a loud, blaring sound: His voice blasted until the microphone was turned down.
The trumpets blasted as the overture began.
His voice blasted until the microphone was turned down.
- to shoot:
He whipped out his revolver and started blasting.
- Slang. to take narcotics.
verb phrase
- (of a rocket) to leave a launch pad under its own power.
- (of an astronaut) to travel aloft in a rocket.
-blast
2- a combining form meaning “bud, sprout,” “embryo,” “formative cells or cell layer,” used in the formation of compound words:
ectoblast.
blast
1/ blɑːst /
noun
- an explosion, as of dynamite
- the rapid movement of air away from the centre of an explosion, combustion of rocket fuel, etc
- a wave of overpressure caused by an explosion; shock wave
- the charge of explosive used in a single explosion
- a sudden strong gust of wind or air
- a sudden loud sound, as of a trumpet
- a violent verbal outburst, as of criticism
- a forcible jet or stream of air, esp one used to intensify the heating effect of a furnace, increase the draught in a steam engine, or break up coal at a coalface
- any of several diseases of plants and animals, esp one producing withering in plants
- slang.a very enjoyable or thrilling experience
the party was a blast
- full blastfull blastat full blast at maximum speed, volume, etc
interjection
- slang.an exclamation of annoyance (esp in phrases such as blast it! and blast him! )
verb
- to destroy or blow up with explosives, shells, etc
- to make or cause to make a loud harsh noise
- tr to remove, open, etc, by an explosion
to blast a hole in a wall
- tr to ruin; shatter
the rain blasted our plans for a picnic
- to wither or cause to wither; blight or be blighted
- to criticize severely
- to shoot or shoot at
he blasted the hat off her head
he blasted away at the trees
-blast
2combining form
- (in biology) indicating an embryonic cell or formative layer
mesoblast
Discover More
Derived Forms
- ˈblaster, noun
Discover More
Other Words From
- blast·er noun
- blast·y adjective
- blast·i·er adjective
- blast·i·est adjective
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of blast1
Origin of blast2
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of blast1
Origin of blast2
Discover More
Idioms and Phrases
- at full blast, at maximum capacity; at or with full volume or speed: Also full blast.
The factory is going at full blast.
More idioms and phrases containing blast
In addition to the idiom beginning with blast , also see full blast .Discover More
Synonym Study
Discover More
Example Sentences
The blasts then spirited these isotopes away before additional nuclear reactions could destroy them.
She’s a woman capable of returning a male player’s 138 mph serve with a blast for a winner.
They can result from a variety of causes, including explosive blasts, although research strongly suggests that rotational energy often plays a significant role.
At a unit, the odor chemicals are then shuttled into the slits using blasts of nitrogen air.
Perhaps most excitingly, specialized observatories buried deep underground captured shy subatomic particles called neutrinos streaming out of the blast.
Here, in a dilapidated room, Saleem recounts the November blast.
The blast was so strong,” he said, “we thought the world was ending.
Now that he was Sir Alfred, there was one final blast of publicity.
Witnesses said the girls were in their late teens and had been accompanied by a man who left soon after the blast.
As the years went on, the bombshells kept coming—seemingly bigger with each blast.
But the withering mildew was now breathed forth, that was intended to blast this goodly harvest.
The sentinel was singing a sequedilla above; and its notes came to them with the wailing blast.
The discharge-valve was then opened for a moment, allowing a blast of steam to escape, reducing the pressure say to one-half.
That counter-blast of passion and that plain speaking from a quarter so unexpected served, in part at least, to sober him.
It was not an ordinary blast, but had a peculiarly musical timbre, very much like the note of a mouth-organ.
Advertisement
Discover More
More About Blast
What does blast mean?
A blast is a loud, sudden noise, as in The blast of the fire alarm woke Kehinde out of a deep sleep.
Blasts are typically associated with the sound and force behind them, and often this force will be caused by a gust of wind or heat that is emanating from some type of explosion or machine.
To blast is to make a loud, sudden noise, as when you blow into a trumpet.
To blast is also to destroy or break up, as in The engineers blasted the rock in the side of the mountain to create a tunnel.
Figuratively, a blast is a strong verbal attack or criticism. To blast someone is to criticize them in this way, as in Jada’s parents blasted her for staying out all night, and now she’s grounded for a month.
A blast is also a really fun party or thrill, as in Luis was surprised at what a blast he had at rock climbing.
Example: I heard a loud blast from the neighboring field and went over to see what happened.
Where does blast come from?
The first records of the term blast come before the 1000s. It comes from the Old English blǣst, meaning “a blowing.”
Blast is used in the idiom full blast, meaning “maximum capacity or productivity.” For example, if the sound on your TV is at full blast, the sound is as loud as it can be. You can’t turn it up any higher.
You might also hear someone use blast in place of a curse word to indicate annoyance, as in Blast it, I missed the bus again!
Did you know … ?
What are some other forms related to blast?
- blaster (noun)
- blasty (adjective)
- blasted (verb, adjective)
What are some synonyms for blast?
What are some words that share a root or word element with blast?
What are some words that often get used in discussing blast?
How is blast used in real life?
Blast is a common word with many senses, most of which relate to an explosion or force.
2 hours to go until we blast #confident up the charts on itunes!
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) December 9, 2013
Day full of snowboarding for the first time was a blast. #iwannatakethesesnowpantsoff
— Matthew Espinosa (@MatthewEspinosa) December 28, 2014
Sure was a great minute and a half today when we got to watch that rocket blast off.
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) May 31, 2020
Try using blast!
Which of the following is NOT a synonym for blast?
A. explosion
B. crash
C. volley
D. tranquility
Words That Use -blast
What does -blast mean?
The combining form –blast is used like a suffix with a variety of meanings. Especially in terms from botany, it means “bud, sprout.” In other scientific terms, this meaning is applied metaphorically to mean “embryo” or “formative cells or cell layer.” Formative cells are cells capable of developing new cells or tissue, or embryonic cells.
The form –blast comes from Greek blastós, meaning “bud” or “sprout.” The Latin translation of blastós was germen, “sprout” or “shoot.” Learn how germen is the source of german, meaning “having the same parents,” and germane, meaning “relevant”—but not to German, a person from Germany—at our entries for each word.
What are variants of –blast?
The form –blast does not have any variants. However, it is related to the form –blastic, as in holoblastic. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article for –blastic.
Examples of -blast
One example of a scientific term that uses the form –blast is macroblast, “an abnormally large bone marrow cell from which red blood cells develop.”
The form macro– may look familiar; it means “large,” from Greek makrós. As we have seen, –blast can mean “formative cells.” Macroblast literally translates to “large formative cells.”
What are some words that use the combining form –blast?
What are some other forms that –blast may be commonly confused with?
Break it down!
The combining form neuro– means “nerves” or “nervous system.” With this in mind, what are neuroblasts?
Word of the Day
[in-vet-er-it ]
Meaning and examplesStart each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!
By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse