View synonyms for blast

blast

[ blast ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a sudden and violent gust of wind:
Wintry blasts chilled us to the marrow.
Synonyms: storm, gale, blow, squall
the blowing of a trumpet, whistle, etc.:
One blast of the siren was enough to clear the street.
Synonyms: screech, blare
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.
1. air forced into a furnace by a blower to increase the rate of combustion.
2. a jet of steam directed up a smokestack, as of a steam locomotive, to increase draft.
3. a draft thus increased.
a forceful or explosive throw, hit, etc.:
a blast down the third-base line.
Slang.
1. a party or riotously good time:
  Did we have a blast last night!
2. something that gives great pleasure or enjoyment; thrill; treat:
  Duck hunting in Australia is a real blast!
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.
blast wave.
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.
to affect with any harmful influence; ruin; wreck:
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.
Informal. to curse; damn (usually followed by it or an object):
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

1. (of a rocket) to leave a launch pad under its own power.
2. (of an astronaut) to travel aloft in a rocket.

-blast

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

blast

/ blɑːst /

noun

an explosion, as of dynamite
1. the rapid movement of air away from the centre of an explosion, combustion of rocket fuel, etc
2. 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 blast or at 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

combining form

(in biology) indicating an embryonic cell or formative layer
mesoblast

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Derived Forms

ˈblaster, noun

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Other Words From

blast·er noun
blast·y adjective
blast·i·er adjective
blast·i·est adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of blast¹

First recorded before 1000; 1955–60 blast fordef 7a; Middle English (noun and verb); Old English blǣst (noun) “a blowing”; akin to Old Norse blāstr, Old High German blāst; blow ²

Origin of blast²

< Greek, combining form of blastós a bud, sprout

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Word History and Origins

Origin of blast¹

Old English blǣst , related to Old Norse blāstr

Origin of blast²

from Greek blastos bud

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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 .

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Synonym Study

See wind ¹.

Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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