To blow off

To blow off
Blow Blow, v. i. [imp. {Blew} (bl[=u]); p. p. {Blown} (bl[=o]n); p. pr. & vb. n. {Blowing}.] [OE. blawen, blowen, AS. bl[=a]wan to blow, as wind; akin to OHG. pl[=a]jan, G. bl["a]hen, to blow up, swell, L. flare to blow, Gr. 'ekflai`nein to spout out, and to E. bladder, blast, inflate, etc., and perh. blow to bloom.] 1. To produce a current of air; to move, as air, esp. to move rapidly or with power; as, the wind blows. [1913 Webster]

Hark how it rains and blows ! --Walton. [1913 Webster]

2. To send forth a forcible current of air, as from the mouth or from a pair of bellows. [1913 Webster]

3. To breathe hard or quick; to pant; to puff. [1913 Webster]

Here is Mistress Page at the door, sweating and blowing. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

4. To sound on being blown into, as a trumpet. [1913 Webster]

There let the pealing organ blow. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

5. To spout water, etc., from the blowholes, as a whale. [1913 Webster]

6. To be carried or moved by the wind; as, the dust blows in from the street. [1913 Webster]

The grass blows from their graves to thy own. --M. Arnold. [1913 Webster]

7. To talk loudly; to boast; to storm. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

You blow behind my back, but dare not say anything to my face. --Bartlett. [1913 Webster]

8. To stop functioning due to a failure in an electrical circuit, especially on which breaks the circuit; sometimes used with out; -- used of light bulbs, electronic components, fuses; as, the dome light in the car blew out. [PJC]

9. To deflate by sudden loss of air; usually used with out; -- of inflatable tires. [PJC]

{To blow hot and cold} (a saying derived from a fable of [AE]sop's), to favor a thing at one time and treat it coldly at another; or to appear both to favor and to oppose.

{To blow off}, to let steam escape through a passage provided for the purpose; as, the engine or steamer is blowing off.

{To blow out}. (a) To be driven out by the expansive force of a gas or vapor; as, a steam cock or valve sometimes blows out. (b) To talk violently or abusively. [Low]

{To blow over}, to pass away without effect; to cease, or be dissipated; as, the storm and the clouds have blown over.

{To blow up}, to be torn to pieces and thrown into the air as by an explosion of powder or gas or the expansive force of steam; to burst; to explode; as, a powder mill or steam boiler blows up. ``The enemy's magazines blew up.'' --Tatler. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Blow-off — n. 1. A blowing off steam, water, etc.; Also, adj. as, a blow off cock or pipe. [1913 Webster] 2. An outburst of temper or excitement. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • blow off something — blow off (something) 1. to get rid of something. The old millionaire blew off one marriage to wed his new partner. Your average worker can t just blow off his credit card debt. 2. to consider something to be unimportant. Some students will simply …   New idioms dictionary

  • blow off — (something) 1. to get rid of something. The old millionaire blew off one marriage to wed his new partner. Your average worker can t just blow off his credit card debt. 2. to consider something to be unimportant. Some students will simply blow off …   New idioms dictionary

  • blow-off — blowˈ off see ↑blow off below. • • • Main Entry: ↑blow …   Useful english dictionary

  • blow off steam — (USA) If you blow off steam, you express your anger or frustration …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • blow|off — «BLOH F, OF», noun. 1. a blowing off. 2. an apparatus that blows off steam. 3. Informal, Figurative. a sudden outburst of anger, pent up emotion, or the like. 4. Slang, Figurative. a boaster …   Useful english dictionary

  • blow off — ► blow off informal 1) lose one s temper and shout. 2) break wind noisily. Main Entry: ↑blow …   English terms dictionary

  • blow off some steam — blow off (some) steam see ↑steam, 1 • • • Main Entry: ↑blow …   Useful english dictionary

  • blow off — 1. in. to goof off; to waste time; to procrastinate. □ You blow off too much. □ All your best time is gone blown off. 2. n. a time waster; a goof off. (Usually blow off.) □ Fred is such a blow off! …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • blow off — verb come off due to an explosion or other strong force (Freq. 1) • Hypernyms: ↑detach, ↑come off, ↑come away • Verb Frames: Something s Something is ing PP * * * lose one s temper and shout …   Useful english dictionary

  • blow\ off\ steam — • let off steam • blow off steam v. phr. 1. To let or make steam escape; send out steam. The janitor let off some steam because the pressure was too high. 2. informal To get rid of physical energy or strong feeling through activity; talk or be… …   Словарь американских идиом

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