blow

/bloʊ/

/bləʊ/

Other forms: blew; blows; blowing; blowed

To blow is to create a burst or puff of air. When chilly breezes start to blow, it's time to close your windows.

People blow candles out on birthday cakes and blow up balloons — a person blows by directing a flow of air from the mouth in a steady stream. When the wind blows, an air current moves. Another way to blow something is to burst, break, or ruin it: "If I drive over that broken glass, I'll blow a tire," or "I just know I'm going to blow my audition." You can also blow money, by wasting or squandering it.

Definitions of blow

1. verb

   be in motion due to some air or water current
   “The leaves were blowing in the wind”

   synonyms: be adrift, drift, float

   float

   move lightly, as if suspended

   drift

   cause to be carried by a current

   types:

   waft

   be driven or carried along, as by the air

   tide

   be carried with the tide

   stream

   to extend, wave or float outward, as if in the wind

   type of:

   go, locomote, move, travel

   change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
2. verb

   cause to move by means of an air current
   “The wind blew the leaves around in the yard”

   types:

   whiff

   drive or carry as if by a puff of air

   type of:

   displace, move

   cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense
3. verb

   be blowing or storming
   “The wind blew from the West”

   types:

   breeze

   blow gently and lightly

   set in

   blow toward the shore

   waft

   blow gently

   storm

   blow hard

   squall

   blow in a squall

   bluster, gust

   blow hard; be gusty, as of wind
4. verb

   cause air to go in, on, or through
   “Blow my hair dry”

   types:

   blast

   apply a draft or strong wind to

   type of:

   direct, send

   cause to go somewhere
5. verb

   cause to be revealed and jeopardized
   “The story blew their cover”

   “The double agent was blown by the other side”

   type of:

   break, bring out, disclose, discover, divulge, expose, give away, let on, let out, reveal, unwrap

   make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret
6. noun

   a strong current of air
   synonyms: blast, gust

   types:

   bluster

   a violent gusty wind

   sandblast

   a blast of wind laden with sand

   puff, puff of air, whiff

   a short light gust of air

   type of:

   air current, current, current of air, wind

   air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
7. verb

   exhale hard
   “blow on the soup to cool it down”

   types:

   gasp, heave, pant, puff

   breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted

   chuff, huff, puff

   blow hard and loudly

   insufflate

   blow or breathe hard on or into

   type of:

   breathe out, exhale, expire

   expel air
8. verb

   free of obstruction by blowing air through
   “blow one's nose”

   type of:

   discharge, eject, exhaust, expel, release

   eliminate (a substance)
9. verb

   spout moist air from the blowhole
   “The whales blew”

   type of:

   gush, spirt, spout, spurt

   gush forth in a sudden stream or jet
10. verb

    play or sound a wind instrument
    “She blew the horn”

    type of:

    sound

    cause to sound
11. verb

    sound by having air expelled through a tube
    “The trumpets blew”

    type of:

    go, sound

    make a certain noise or sound
12. verb

    make a sound as if blown
    “The whistle blew”

    type of:

    go, sound

    make a certain noise or sound
13. verb

    allow to regain its breath
    type of:

    rest

    give a rest to
14. verb

    shape by blowing
    “Blow a glass vase”

    type of:

    form, shape

    give shape or form to
15. verb

    provide sexual gratification through oral stimulation
    type of:

    excite, stimulate, stir

    stir feelings in
16. noun

    forceful exhalation through the nose or mouth
    “he gave his nose a loud blow”

    “he blew out all the candles with a single puff”

    synonyms: puff

    types:

    insufflation

    an act of blowing or breathing on or into something

    type of:

    breathing out, exhalation, expiration

    the act of expelling air from the lungs
17. verb

    make a mess of, destroy or ruin
    synonyms: ball up, bobble, bodge, bollix, bollix up, botch, botch up, bumble, bungle, butcher, flub, fluff, foul up, fumble, louse up, mess up, mishandle, muck up, muff, screw up, spoil

    type of:

    fail, go wrong, miscarry

    be unsuccessful
18. verb

    spend thoughtlessly; throw away
    synonyms: squander, waste

    types:

    burn

    spend (significant amounts of money)

    type of:

    expend, use

    use up or consume fully
19. verb

    spend lavishly or wastefully on
    “He blew a lot of money on his new home theater”

    synonyms:

    squander, waste

    spend thoughtlessly; throw away

    type of:

    drop, expend, spend

    pay out
20. verb

    melt, break, or become otherwise unusable
    “The lightbulbs blew out”

    “The fuse blew”

    synonyms: blow out, burn out

    type of:

    break, break down, conk out, die, fail, give out, give way, go, go bad

    stop operating or functioning
21. verb

    burst suddenly
    “The tire blew”

    “We blew a tire”

    type of:

    break open, burst, split

    come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
22. noun

    a powerful stroke with the fist or a weapon
    “a blow on the head”

    synonyms: buffet

    types:

    backhander

    a backhanded blow

    clip

    a sharp slanting blow

    belt, knock, rap, whack, whang

    the act of hitting vigorously

    thwack

    a hard blow with a flat object

    slap, smack, smacking

    the act of smacking something; a blow delivered with an open hand

    smacker

    a very powerful blow with the fist

    knockdown

    a blow that knocks the opponent off his feet

    KO, kayo, knockout

    a blow that renders the opponent unconscious

    swat

    a sharp blow

    lash, whip, whiplash

    a quick blow delivered with a whip or whiplike object

    biff, clout, lick, poke, punch, slug

    (boxing) a blow with the fist

    box

    a blow with the hand (usually on the ear)

    boot, kick, kicking

    the act of delivering a blow with the foot

    counterblow

    a return blow; a retaliatory blow

    swing

    a sweeping blow or stroke

    knife thrust, stab, thrust

    a strong blow with a knife or other sharp pointed instrument

    stinger

    a sharp stinging blow

    thump

    a heavy blow with the hand

    uppercut

    a swinging blow directed upward (especially at an opponent's chin)

    hammer, hammering, pound, pounding

    the act of pounding (delivering repeated heavy blows)

    shot

    a blow hard enough to cause injury

    wallop

    a severe blow

    TKO, technical knockout

    a knockout declared by the referee who judges one boxer unable to continue

    spank

    a slap with the flat of the hand

    counter, counterpunch, parry

    a return punch (especially by a boxer)

    KO punch, Sunday punch, haymaker, knockout punch

    a hard punch that renders the opponent unable to continue boxing

    hook

    a short swinging punch delivered from the side with the elbow bent

    jab

    a quick short straight punch

    rabbit punch

    a short chopping blow to the back of the neck

    sucker punch

    an unexpected punch

    goal-kick

    (association football) a kick by the defending side after the attacking side sends the ball over the goal-line

    goal-kick

    (rugby) an attempt to kick a goal

    punt, punting

    (football) a kick in which the football is dropped from the hands and kicked before it touches the ground

    place kick, place-kicking

    (sports) a kick in which the ball is placed on the ground before kicking

    dropkick

    (football) kicking (as for a field goal) in which the football is dropped and kicked as it touches the ground

    lunge, passado, straight thrust

    (fencing) an attacking thrust made with one foot forward and the back leg straight and with the sword arm outstretched forward

    remise

    (fencing) a second thrust made on the same lunge (as when your opponent fails to riposte)

    cheap shot

    an illegal and unsportsmanlike act of unnecessary violence

    type of:

    stroke

    a single complete movement
23. noun

    an impact (as from a collision)
    synonyms: bump

    types:

    jar, jolt, jounce, shock

    a sudden jarring impact

    concussion

    any violent blow

    rap, strike, tap

    a gentle blow

    bang, bash, belt, knock, smash

    a vigorous blow

    buffeting, pounding

    repeated heavy blows

    sideswipe

    a glancing blow from or on the side of something (especially motor vehicles)

    slap, smack

    a blow from a flat object (as an open hand)

    type of:

    impact

    the striking of one body against another
24. noun

    an unpleasant or disappointing surprise
    synonyms: shock

    types:

    blip

    a sudden minor shock or meaningless interruption

    type of:

    surprise

    a sudden unexpected event
25. noun

    an unfortunate happening that hinders or impedes; something that is thwarting or frustrating
    synonyms: black eye, reversal, reverse, setback

    types:

    whammy

    a serious or devastating setback

    hiccup

    a minor or temporary error or setback

    type of:

    happening, natural event, occurrence, occurrent

    an event that happens
26. verb

    leave; informal or rude
    “Blow now!”

    synonyms: shove along, shove off

    type of:

    depart, go, go away

    move away from a place into another direction
27. noun

    street names for cocaine
    type of:

    cocain, cocaine

    a narcotic (alkaloid) extracted from coca leaves; used as a surface anesthetic or taken for pleasure; can become powerfully addictive
28. verb

    lay eggs
    “certain insects are said to blow”

    type of:

    lay, put down, repose

    put in a horizontal position
29. verb

    show off
    synonyms: bluster, boast, brag, gas, gasconade, shoot a line, swash, tout, vaunt

    types:

    puff

    speak in a blustering or scornful manner

    crow, gloat, triumph

    dwell on with satisfaction

    congratulate, preen

    pride or congratulate (oneself) for an achievement

    type of:

    amplify, exaggerate, hyperbolise, hyperbolize, magnify, overdraw, overstate

    to enlarge beyond bounds or the truth