/ blɑːst; NAmE blæst/ noun , verb , exclamation
■ noun
EXPLOSION
1.
[ C ] an explosion or a powerful movement of air caused by an explosion :
a bomb blast
27 schoolchildren were injured in the blast.
OF AIR
2.
[ C ] a sudden strong movement of air :
A blast of hot air hit us as we stepped off the plane.
the wind's icy blasts
LOUD NOISE
3.
[ C ] a sudden loud noise, especially one made by a musical instrument that you blow, or by a whistle or a car horn :
three short blasts on the ship's siren
CRITICISM
4.
[ C ] (used especially in newspapers) strong criticism :
Blast for prison governors in judge's report.
FUN
5.
[ sing. ] ( especially NAmE ) a very enjoyable experience that is a lot of fun :
The party was a blast.
We had a blast at the party.
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IDIOMS
- a blast from the past
- (at) full blast
■ verb
EXPLODE
1.
to violently destroy or break sth into pieces, using explosives :
[ vn ]
They blasted a huge crater in the runway.
They had to blast a tunnel through the mountain.
All the windows were blasted inwards with the force of the explosion.
The jumbo jet was blasted out of the sky.
[ v ]
Danger! Blasting in Progress!
[also vn - adj ]
MAKE LOUD NOISE
2.
blast (sth) (out) to make a loud unpleasant noise, especially music :
[ v ]
Music suddenly blasted out from the speakers.
[ vn ]
The radio blasted out rock music at full volume.
CRITICIZE
3.
[ vn ] blast sb/sth (for sth / for doing sth) ( informal ) to criticize sb/sth severely :
The movie was blasted by all the critics.
HIT / KICK
4.
[ vn ] ( informal ) to hit or kick sb/sth with a lot of force :
He blasted the ball past the goalie.
He blasted the policeman right between the eyes.
AIR / WATER
5.
[ vn ] to direct air, water, etc. at sb/sth with a lot of force :
Police blasted the demonstrators with water cannons.
DESTROY WITH DISEASE, etc.
6.
[ vn ] [ usually passive ] to destroy sth such as a plant with disease, cold, heat, etc. :
Their whole crop had been blasted by a late frost.
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- blast away
- blast off
■ exclamation
( informal , especially BrE ) people sometimes say Blast! when they are annoyed about sth :
Oh blast! The car won't start.
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English blǣst , of Germanic origin; related to blaze present news in a sensational manner .