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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
blow2    Audio Help   [bloh] Pronunciation Key verb, blew, blown, blow·ing, noun
–verb (used without object)
1.(of the wind or air) to be in motion.
2.to move along, carried by or as by the wind: Dust seemed to blow through every crack in the house.
3.to produce or emit a current of air, as with the mouth or a bellows: Blow on your hands to warm them.
4.(of a horn, trumpet, etc.) to give out sound.
5.to make a blowing sound; whistle: The siren blew just as we rounded the corner.
6.(of horses) to breathe hard or quickly; pant.
7.Informal. to boast; brag: He kept blowing about his medals.
8.Zoology. (of a whale) to spout.
9.(of a fuse, light bulb, vacuum tube, tire, etc.) to burst, melt, stop functioning, or be destroyed by exploding, overloading, etc. (often fol. by out): A fuse blew just as we sat down to dinner. The rear tire blew out.
10.to burst from internal pressure: Poorly sealed cans will often blow.
11.Slang. to leave; depart.
–verb (used with object)
12.to drive by means of a current of air: A sudden breeze blew the smoke into the house.
13.to spread or make widely known: Growing panic blew the rumor about.
14.to drive a current of air upon.
15.to clear or empty by forcing air through: Try blowing your nose.
16.to shape (glass, smoke, etc.) with a current of air: to blow smoke rings.
17.to cause to sound, as by a current of air: Blow your horn at the next crossing.
18.Jazz. to play (a musical instrument of any kind).
19.to cause to explode (often fol. by up, to bits, etc.): A mine blew the ship to bits.
20.to burst, melt, burn out, or destroy by exploding, overloading, etc. (often fol. by out): to blow a tire; blow a fuse.
21.to destroy; demolish (usually fol. by down, over, etc.): The windstorm blew down his house.
22.Informal.
a.to spend money on.
b.to squander; spend quickly: He blew a fortune on racing cars.
c.to waste; lose: The team blew the lead by making a bad play.
23.Informal. to mishandle, ruin, botch; make a mess of; bungle: With one stupid mistake he blew the whole project. It was your last chance and you blew it!
24.Slang. to damn: Blow the cost!
25.to put (a horse) out of breath by fatigue.
26.Slang. to depart from: to blow town.
27.Slang: Vulgar. to perform fellatio on.
28.Slang. to smoke (marijuana or other drugs).
–noun
29.a blast of air or wind: to clean machinery with a blow.
30.Informal. a violent windstorm, gale, hurricane, or the like: one of the worst blows we ever had around here.
31.an act of producing a blast of air, as in playing a wind instrument: a few discordant blows by the bugler.
32.Metallurgy.
a.a blast of air forced through a converter, as in the production of steel or copper.
b.the stage of the production process during which this blast is used.
33.Civil Engineering. boil1 (def. 12).
34.Slang. cocaine.
—Verb phrases
35.blow away, Slang.
a.to kill, esp. by gunfire: The gang threatened to blow away anyone who talked to the police.
b.to defeat decisively; trounce: She blew her opponent away in three straight sets.
c.to overwhelm with emotion, astonishment, etc.: Good poetry just blows me away.
36.blow down, Metallurgy. to suspend working of (a blast furnace) by smelting the existing charge with a diminishing blast.
37.blow in,
a.Slang. to arrive at a place, esp. unexpectedly: My uncle just blew in from Sacramento.
b.Metallurgy. to begin operations in (a blast furnace).
38.blow out,
a.to become extinguished: The candles blew out at once.
b.to lose force or cease: The storm has blown itself out.
c.(of an oil or gas well) to lose oil or gas uncontrollably.
d.Metallurgy. to blow down and clean (a blast furnace) in order to shut down.
39.blow over,
a.to pass away; subside: The storm blew over in five minutes.
b.to be forgotten: The scandal will eventually blow over.
40.blow up,
a.to come into being: A storm suddenly blew up.
b.to explode: The ship blew up.
c.to cause to explode: to blow up a bridge.
d.to exaggerate; enlarge: He blew up his own role in his account of the project.
e.Informal. to lose one's temper: When he heard she had quit school, he blew up.
f.to fill with air; inflate: to blow up a tire.
g.Photography. to make an enlarged reproduction of.
h.Mathematics. (of a function) to become infinite.
—Idioms
41.blow hot and cold, to favor something at first and reject it later on; waver; vacillate: His enthusiasm for the job blows hot and cold.
42.blow off,
a.to allow steam to be released.
b.Informal. to reduce or release tension, as by loud talking.
43.blow one's cool, Slang. to lose one's composure; become angry, frantic, or flustered.
44.blow one's cover. cover (def. 53).
45.blow one's lines, Theater. to forget or make an error in a speaking part or stage directions.
46.blow one's mind. mind (def. 35).
47.blow one's stack. stack (def. 23).
48.blow one's top. top1 (def. 42).
[Origin: bef. 1000; ME blowen (v.), OE blāwan; c. L flāre to blow]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
blow up

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
blow·up    Audio Help   [bloh-uhp] Pronunciation Key
–noun
1.an explosion.
2.a violent argument, outburst of temper, or the like, esp. one resulting in estrangement.
3.Also, blow-up. an enlargement of a photograph.
[Origin: 1800–10; n. use of v. phrase blow up]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
blow 1    Audio Help   (blō)  Pronunciation Key 
v.   blew (blōō), blown (blōn), blow·ing, blows

v.   intr.
  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.
    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.

v.   tr.
  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.
    3. To cause to be out of breath.
    4. To allow (a winded horse) to regain its breath.
    5. To cause to fail or break down, as by operating at extreme or improper conditions: blew the engine on the last lap.
    6. To cause (a fuse) to melt or become disabled.
    7. To spend (money) freely and rashly. See Synonyms at waste.
    8. To spend money freely on; treat: blew me to a sumptuous dinner.
    9. Slang To spoil or lose through ineptitude. See Synonyms at botch.
    10. 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.
    1. To cause to be out of breath.
    2. To allow (a winded horse) to regain its breath.
    3. To cause to fail or break down, as by operating at extreme or improper conditions: blew the engine on the last lap.
    4. To cause (a fuse) to melt or become disabled.
    5. To spend (money) freely and rashly. See Synonyms at waste.
    6. To spend money freely on; treat: blew me to a sumptuous dinner.
    7. Slang To spoil or lose through ineptitude. See Synonyms at botch.
    8. 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.
  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.
    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.
    3. To spend (money) freely and rashly. See Synonyms at waste.
    4. To spend money freely on; treat: blew me to a sumptuous dinner.
    5. Slang To spoil or lose through ineptitude. See Synonyms at botch.
    6. 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.
  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.
    3. Slang To spoil or lose through ineptitude. See Synonyms at botch.
    4. 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.
  13. Vulgar Slang To perform fellatio on.
    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.

n.  
  1. The act or an instance of blowing.
    1. A blast of air or wind.
    2. A storm.
  3. Informal An act of bragging.
  4. Slang Cocaine.
  5. To kill by shooting, especially with a firearm.
  6. To defeat decisively.
  7. To affect intensely; overwhelm: That concert blew me away.
  8. To relieve or release (pressure); let off.
  9. Slang To choose not to attend or accompany: They wanted us to come along, but we blew them off.
  10. To extinguish or be extinguished by a gust of air: blow out a candle.
  11. To fail, as an electrical apparatus.
  12. To erupt in an uncontrolled manner. Used of a gas or oil well.
  13. To come into being: A storm blew up.
  14. To fill with air; inflate: blow up a tire.
  15. To enlarge (a photographic image or print).
  16. To explode: bombs blowing up.
  17. To lose one's temper.

Phrasal Verb(s):
blow away Slang
  1. To kill by shooting, especially with a firearm.
  2. To defeat decisively.
  3. To affect intensely; overwhelm: That concert blew me away.
blow in Slang
To arrive, especially when unexpected.
blow off
  1. To relieve or release (pressure); let off.
  2. Slang To choose not to attend or accompany: They wanted us to come along, but we blew them off.
blow out
  1. To extinguish or be extinguished by a gust of air: blow out a candle.
  2. To fail, as an electrical apparatus.
  3. 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
  1. To come into being: A storm blew up.
  2. To fill with air; inflate: blow up a tire.
  3. To enlarge (a photographic image or print).
  4. To explode: bombs blowing up.
  5. To lose one's temper.

Idiom(s):
blow a fuse/gasket Slang
To explode with anger.

Idiom(s):
blow hot and cold
To change one's opinion often on a matter; vacillate.

Idiom(s):
blow off steam
To give vent to pent-up emotion.

Idiom(s):
blow (one's) cool Slang
To lose one's composure.

Idiom(s):
blow (one's) mind Slang
To affect with intense emotion, such as amazement, excitement, or shock.

Idiom(s):
blow (one's) top/stack Informal
To lose one's temper.

Idiom(s):
blow out of proportion
To make more of than is reasonable; exaggerate.

Idiom(s):
blow smoke
  1. To speak deceptively.
  2. To brag or exaggerate.

[Middle English blowen, from Old English blāwan; see bhlē- in Indo-European roots.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
blow up

verb
1. cause to burst with a violent release of energy; "We exploded the nuclear bomb" [syn: explode] 
2. make large; "blow up an image" [ant: reduce] 
3. get very angry and fly into a rage; "The professor combusted when the student didn't know the answer to a very elementary question"; "Spam makes me go ballistic" 
4. add details to [syn: embroider] 
5. burst and release energy as through a violent chemical or physical reaction;"the bomb detonated at noon"; "The Molotov cocktail exploded" [syn: detonate] 
6. exaggerate or make bigger; "The charges were inflated" [syn: inflate] 
7. fill with gas or air; "inflate a balloons" [syn: inflate] [ant: deflate] 
8. to swell or cause to enlarge, "Her faced puffed up from the drugs"; "puffed out chests" [syn: puff] 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
blow up1
to break into pieces, or be broken into pieces, by an explosion
Example: The bridge blew up / was blown up.
Arabic: يَنْفَجِرُ، يَتَفَجَّرُ
Chinese (Simplified): 爆裂
Chinese (Traditional): 爆裂
Czech: vyhodit, vyletět do vzduchu
Danish: sprænge i luften
Dutch: opblazen, ontploffen
Estonian: õhku lendama, õhku laskma
Finnish: räjähtää, räjäyttää
French: sauter
German: in die Luft fliegen
Greek: ανατινάζω, εκρήγνυμαι
Hungarian: felrobbant
Icelandic: springa í loft upp
Indonesian: meledakkan
Italian: esplodere, saltare in aria, far saltare in aria
Japanese: 爆破する
Latvian: uzspridzināt; uzsprāgt gaisā
Lithuanian: susprogti, susprogdinti
Norwegian: sprenge i lufta, filler
Polish: wylecieć, wysadzić w powietrze
Portuguese (Brazil): explodir
Portuguese (Portugal): explodir
Romanian: a sări în aer
Russian: взрываться
Slovak: vyletieť , vyhodiť do vzduchu
Slovenian: razleteti se
Spanish: volar, explotar, estallar
Swedish: spränga i luften
Turkish: patlatmak, havaya uçurmak
blow up2
to fill with air or a gas
Example: He blew up the balloon.
Arabic: يَنْفُخُ، يَملأُ بالهَواء أو الغاز
Chinese (Simplified): 使充气
Chinese (Traditional): 使充氣
Czech: nafouknout
Danish: puste op
Dutch: opblazen
Estonian: täis puhuma, täitma
Finnish: täyttää
French: gonfler
German: aufblasen
Greek: φουσκώνω με αέρα ή αέριο
Hungarian: felfúj
Icelandic: blása upp, fylla lofti
Indonesian: memompa
Italian: gonfiare
Japanese: ふくらませる
Latvian: piepūst
Lithuanian: pripūsti
Norwegian: blåse opp
Polish: napompować
Portuguese (Brazil): encher
Portuguese (Portugal): encher
Romanian: a umfla
Russian: надувать
Slovak: nafúknuť
Slovenian: napihniti
Spanish: inflar
Swedish: blåsa upp
Turkish: şişirmek
blow up3
to lose one's temper
Example: If he says that again I'll blow up.
Arabic: يَنْفَجِرُ غَضَبا
Chinese (Simplified): 发脾气
Chinese (Traditional): 發脾氣
Czech: vyletět, vybuchnout
Danish: eksplodere
Dutch: woedend worden
Estonian: plahvatama
Finnish: räjähtää
French: exploser
German: in Zorn geraten
Greek: ξεσπώ, χάνω την ψυχραιμία μου
Hungarian: szétrobban
Icelandic: verða bálreiður
Indonesian: marah sekali
Italian: esplodere
Japanese: 激怒する
Latvian: zaudēt savaldīšanos
Lithuanian: netekti kantrybės, pasiusti
Norwegian: eksplodere i raseri
Polish: stracić cierpliwość
Portuguese (Brazil): explodir
Portuguese (Portugal): explodir
Romanian: a exploda
Russian: выходить из себя
Slovak: vybuchnúť
Slovenian: razjeziti se
Spanish: perder los estribos
Swedish: bli rasande
Turkish: tepesi atmak
See also: blow, blow one's top, blow out, blow over, blow-lamp, blow-torch, blowhole, blowout, blowpipe

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary, © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd.
Free On-line Dictionary of Computing - Cite This Source - Share This

blow up
1. Of a scientific computation: to become unstable. It suggests that the computation is diverging so rapidly that it will soon overflow or at least go nonlinear.
2. blow out.
[The Jargon File]

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