I. VERB USES
(~s, ~ing, blew, ~n)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
Please look at category 12 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1.
When a wind or breeze ~s, the air moves.
We woke to find a gale ~ing outside.
VERB: V
2.
If the wind ~s something somewhere or if it ~s there, the wind moves it there.
Strong winds blew away most of the dust...
Her cap fell off in the street and blew away...
The bushes and trees were ~ing in the wind.
VERB: V n with adv, V adv/prep, V, also V n prep
3.
If you ~, you send out a stream of air from your mouth.
Danny rubbed his arms and blew on his fingers to warm them...
Take a deep breath and ~.
VERB: V prep/adv, V
4.
If you ~ something somewhere, you move it by sending out a stream of air from your mouth.
He picked up his mug and blew off the steam.
VERB: V n with adv, also V n prep
5.
If you ~ bubbles or smoke rings, you make them by ~ing air out of your mouth through liquid or smoke.
He blew a ring of blue smoke.
VERB: V n
6.
When a whistle or horn ~s or someone ~s it, they make a sound by ~ing into it.
The whistle blew and the train slid forward...
A guard was ~ing his whistle.
VERB: V, V n
7.
When you ~ your nose, you force air out of it through your nostrils in order to clear it.
He took out a handkerchief and blew his nose.
VERB: V n
8.
To ~ something out, off, or away means to remove or destroy it violently with an explosion.
The can exploded, wrecking the kitchen and bathroom and ~ing out windows...
Rival gunmen blew the city to bits.
VERB: V n with adv, V n prep
9.
If you say that something ~s an event, situation, or argument into a particular extreme state, especially an uncertain or unpleasant state, you mean that it causes it to be in that state.
Someone took an inappropriate use of words on my part and tried to ~ it into a major controversy.
VERB: V n prep
10.
If you ~ a large amount of money, you spend it quickly on luxuries. (INFORMAL)
My brother lent me some money and I went and blew the lot.
VERB: V n
11.
If you ~ a chance or attempt to do something, you make a mistake which wastes the chance or causes the attempt to fail. (INFORMAL)
He has almost certainly ~n his chance of touring India this winter.
...the high-risk world of real estate, where one careless word could ~ a whole deal...
Oh you fool! You’ve ~n it!
VERB: V n, V n, V it
12.
to ~ away the cobwebs: see cobweb
to ~ someone’s cover: see cover
to ~ hot and cold: see hot
to ~ a kiss: see kiss
to ~ your top: see top
to ~ the whistle: see whistle
see also full-~n , over~n
II. NOUN USES
(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
If someone receives a ~, they are hit with a fist or weapon.
He went off to hospital after a ~ to the face.
N-COUNT: oft N to/on n
2.
If something that happens is a ~ to someone or something, it is very upsetting, disappointing, or damaging to them.
That ruling comes as a ~ to environmentalists...
His death dealt a severe ~ to the army’s morale.
N-COUNT: oft N to n
3.
If two people or groups come to ~s, they start fighting.
The representatives almost came to ~s at a meeting.
PHRASE: V inflects