blow

Meanings

Verb

  • To produce an air current.
  • To propel by an air current (or, if under water, a water current), usually with the mouth.
  • To be propelled by an air current.
  • To direct or move, usually of a person to a particular location.
  • To create or shape by blowing; as in to blow bubbles, to blow glass.
  • To force a current of air upon with the mouth, or by other means.
  • To clear of contents by forcing air through.
  • To cause to make sound by blowing, as a musical instrument.
  • To make a sound as the result of being blown.
  • To exhale visibly through the spout the seawater which it has taken in while feeding.
  • To explode.
  • To cause to explode, shatter, or be utterly destroyed.
  • To blow from a gun.
  • To cause the sudden destruction of.
  • To suddenly fail destructively.
  • (used to express displeasure or frustration) Damn.
  • To be very undesirable.
  • To recklessly squander.
  • To fellate; to perform oral sex on (usually a man).
  • To leave, especially suddenly or in a hurry.
  • To make flyblown, to defile, especially with fly eggs.
  • To spread by report; to publish; to disclose.
  • To inflate, as with pride; to puff up.
  • To breathe hard or quick; to pant; to puff.
  • To put out of breath; to cause to blow from fatigue.
  • To talk loudly; boast; storm.
  • To sing.
  • To leave the Church of Scientology in an unauthorized manner.
  • To blossom; to cause to bloom or blossom.

Noun

Adjective

Origin

  • From Middle English blowen, from Old English blāwan ("to blow, breathe, inflate, sound"), from Proto-West Germanic *blāan, from Proto-Germanic *blēaną ("to blow") (compare German blähen), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₁- ("to swell, blow up") (compare Latin flō ("to blow") and Old Armenian բեղուն ("fertile")).
  • From Middle English blo, bloo, from Old English blāw ("blue"), from Proto-Germanic *blēwaz ("blue, dark blue, grey, black"), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰlēw- ("yellow, blond, grey"). Cognate with Latin flavus ("yellow"). blue.
  • From Middle English blowe, blaw, northern variant of blewe, from Proto-Germanic *blewwaną (compare Old Norse blegði, German einbläuen, Middle Dutch blouwen). Related to block.
  • From Middle English blowen, from Old English blōwan, from Proto-Germanic *blōaną (compare Dutch bloeien, German blühen), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₃- (compare Latin floreo).

Modern English dictionary

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