blow

Question

English - Pronunciation

(UK) IPA^(key): /bləʊ/, [bləʊ̯]
(US) IPA^(key): /bloʊ/, [bloʊ̯]
Rhymes: -əʊ

English - Etymology 1

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”). More at blue.

Adjective

blow (comparative blower or more blow, superlative blowest or most blow)

(now chiefly dialectal, Northern England) Blue.

English - Etymology 2

From Middle English _blowen_, from Old English _blāwan_ (“to blow, breathe, inflate, sound”), from Proto-Germanic _*blēaną_ (“to blow”) (compare German _blähen_), from Proto-Indo-European _*bhle-_ (“to swell, blow up”) (compare Latin _flare_ (“to blow”), Old Armenian _բեղուն_ (bełun, “fertile”), Albanian _plas_ (“to blow, explode”)). VERB BLOW (_third-person singular simple present_ BLOWS, _present participle_ BLOWING, _simple past_ BLEW, _past participle_ BLOWN) * (intransitive) To produce an air current. * 1606, William Shakespeare, _King Lear_, act 3, sc. 2: "BLOW, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! BLOW!" * Walton Hark how it rains and BLOWS! * (transitive) To propel by an air current. _BLOW the dust off that book and open it up._ * (intransitive) To be propelled by an air current. _The leaves BLOW through the streets in the fall._ * (transitive) 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 BLOW the fire_ * To clear of contents by forcing air through. _to BLOW an egg_ _to BLOW one's nose_ * (transitive) To cause to make sound by blowing, as a musical instrument. * (intransitive) To make a sound as the result of being blown. _In the harbor, the ships' horns BLEW._ * Milton There let the pealing organ BLOW. * (intransitive, of a cetacean) To exhale visibly through the spout the seawater which it has taken in while feeding. _There's nothing more thrilling to the whale watcher than to see a whale surface and BLOW._ _There she BLOWS! (i.e. "I see a whale spouting!")_ * (intransitive) To explode. _Get away from that burning gas tank! It's about to BLOW!_ * (transitive, with "up" or with prep phrase headed by "to") To cause to explode, shatter, or be utterly destroyed. _The demolition squad neatly BLEW the old hotel up._ _The aerosol can was BLOWN to bits._ * (transitive) To cause sudden destruction of. _He BLEW the tires and the engine._ * (intransitive) To suddenly fail destructively. _He tried to sprint, but his ligaments BLEW and he was barely able to walk to the finish line._ * (intransitive, slang) To be very undesirable (see also suck). _This BLOWS!_ * (transitive, slang) To recklessly squander. _I managed to BLOW $1000 at blackjack in under an hour._ _I BLEW $35 thou on a car._ _We BLEW an opportunity to get benign corporate sponsorship._ * (transitive, vulgar) To fellate. _Who did you have to BLOW to get those backstage passes?_ * (transitive) To leave. _Let's BLOW this joint._ * To make flyblown, to defile, especially with fly eggs. * 1606, William Shakespeare, _Antony and Cleopatra_, Act V, scene 2, line 55. Shall they hoist me up, And show me to the shouting varletry Of censuring Rome? Rather a ditch in Egypt Be gentle grave unto me, rather on Nilus' mud Lay me stark naked, and let the water-flies BLOW me into abhorring! * 1610, _The Tempest_, by Shakespeare, act 3 scene 1 (FERDINAND) I am, in my condition, A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king;— I would not so!—and would no more endure This wooden slavery than to suffer The flesh-fly BLOW my mouth. * (obsolete) To spread by report; to publish; to disclose. * Dryden Through the court his courtesy was BLOWN. * Whiting His language does his knowledge BLOW. * (obsolete) To inflate, as with pride; to puff up. * Shakespeare Look how imagination BLOWS him. * (intransitive) To breathe hard or quick; to pant; to puff. * Shakespeare Here is Mistress Page at the door, sweating and BLOWING. * (transitive) To put out of breath; to

From Middle English blowen, from Old English blāwan (“to blow, breathe, inflate, sound”), from Proto-Germanic *blēaną (“to blow”) (compare German blähen), from Proto-Indo-European *bhle- (“to swell, blow up”) (compare Latin flare (“to blow”), Old Armenian բեղուն (bełun, “fertile”), Albanian plas (“to blow, explode”)).