Definition of "blow"

Lear. Blow windes, & crack your cheeks; Rage, blowYou Cataracts, and Hyrricano's ſpout,

c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene ii], page 296, column 1

Tend to th' Maſters whiſtle: Blow till thou burſt thy winde, if roome enough.

1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene i], page 1, column 1

Hark how it rains and blows!

1653, Iz[aak] Wa[lton], The Compleat Angler or The Contemplative Man’s Recreation. Being a Discourse of Fish and Fishing, […], London: […] T. Maxey for Rich[ard] Marriot, […]; reprinted as The Compleat Angler (Homo Ludens; 6), Nieuwkoop, South Holland, Netherlands: Miland Publishers, 1969,

To-night the winds begin to rise⁠And roar from yonder dropping day:⁠The last red leaf is whirl’d away,The rooks are blown about the skies; […]

1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], canto XV, page 24

"This is an unexpected pleasure!" exclaimed he. "What good fortune blows Lady Marchmont hither?"

1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “A Friend at Court”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], page 260

There let the pealing organ blow,

a. 1645, John Milton, “Il Penseroso”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, page 43

Soon after he [a porpoise] appeared again, blowing very hard, but the next moment he turned over; Rasmus was not slow in putting the boat-hook in him and hauling him into the boat with my assistance.

1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 184

Hitler is very, very important, and something's going to blow in Europe.

1971, Herman Wouk, The Winds of War, page 12

However, something once happened on the railway there which showed the very best of mankind: heroism, duty, self-sacrifice and calm professionalism under terrible pressure. It is a story which gives us far, far better reasons for remembering this attractive little town, which without these heroes would have been blown to smithereens in a gigantic explosion. (Two railwaymen lost their lives in 1944 when a wagon in an ammunition train caught fire and blew up, an even worse disaster was averted however.)

2022 January 12, Benedict le Vay, “The heroes of Soham...”, in RAIL, number 948, page 42

A common problem for double glazed windows (or doors) is mist or condensation between the panes of glass. This is known as a blown window or failed double glazing. But what does it cost to repair?

, Checkatrade.com, “Blown windows repair cost guide”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)

‘Holy Mackerel, Ann! I’m certainly glad we blew ourselves for that outfit of yours.’

1932, Delos W. Lovelace, King Kong, published 1965, page 136

[…] I put myself on the line for you. I told you I wasn't sure if I was ready for a relationship again and you blew it. You blew it! You call this a fresh start? This doesn't look like a fresh start to me. You're dicking me around just like the rest of them, Drew.

2006, Allison Rushby, Hating Valentine's Day‎, page 148

Hodgson’s team attracted a certain amount of sympathy and understanding after the Italy defeat but it was beyond them to play with the same attacking panache and, if there is to be a feat of escapology, it will need an almost implausible combination of results and handouts in the final games of Group D. More realistically, they have blown it in their first week.

2014 June 20, Daniel Taylor, “World Cup 2014: Uruguay sink England as Suárez makes his mark”, in guardian.co.uk

The mandem all used to go round there and get head off her, the sister blowing the man line by line while her brother shotted downstairs in the stairwell.

2011, “Chyna”, in How I Escaped a Girl Gang: Rolling in a London Girl Gang

Shall they hoyſt me vp,And ſhew me to the ſhowting VarlotarieOf cenſuring Rome? Rather a ditch in Egypt,Be gentle graue vnto me, rather on Nylus muddeLay me ſtarke-nak'd, and let the water-FliesBlow me into abhorring;

c. 1606–1607, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene ii], page 365, column 1

Fer. I am, in my conditionA Prince (Miranda) I do thinke a King(I would not ſo) and would no more endureThis wodden ſlauerie, then to ſufferThe fleſh-flie blow my mouth: heare my ſoule ſpeake.

1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene i], page 11, column 1

That decision was given an added kick by fury when he found that Podson had left the safe door open, and flies had blown the meat.

1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, page 78

[…] said the bookseller, “but I cannot risk the expence of your debut - There are critics without as well as within a theatre.” - I know it, said I, interrupting him; “men who, like flies blowing on a piece of wholesome meat, can convert it into carrion - […]

1807, Thomas Pike Lathy, Gabriel Forrester;or, The deserted son. A novel in four volumes, volume 2, London: Lewis and Hamblin, page 77

In Cornwall, a singular mode of curing conger, once prevailed, which was, merely to split the conger in halves, and, without any further preparation, to hang them up in a kind of shambles erected for that purpose, when the flies, blowing on the fish, the progeny would devour all the parts liable to decomposition, whilst the residue, being dried in the sun, became in this manner fit for use: and, when perfectly cured, where exported to Spain and Portugal. There they were ground into powder, and with this preparation, the natives of those Countries used to thicken their soups.

1843, William Hughes(Piscator), Fish, How to Choose and How to Dress, London: Longman, Green, Brown, and Longmans, pages 41–42

[…]and often after they drop off the punctured skins are the seats of maggots, etc., owing to flies blowing on these injuries.

1921, “The British Veterinary Journal”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), volume 77, Ballière Tindall, page 29

Through the court his courtesy was blown.

1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]

O peace, now he's deepely in: looke how imagination blowes him.

c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene v], page 263, column 2

Rob. Miſtris Ford, Miſtris Ford: heere's Miſtris Page at the doore, ſsweating, and blowing, and looking wildely, and would needs ſpeake with you preſently.

c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene iii], page 58, column 1

I don't want the worst characters in hell to be running after me with friendly messages and little testimonials of admiration for Smythe, and blowing about his talents, and bragging on him, and belching their villainous fire and brimstone all through the atmosphere and making my place smell worse than a menagerie.

1866 February 6, Mark Twain, “Remarkable Dream”, in Virginia City Territorial Enterprise

He didn't just set around and try to out sweettalk[sic] somebody; he got out and out-fit somebody. He wouldn't be blowing when he told his boys how he fit for the woman he got.

a. 1940, Mildred Haun, “Shin-Bone Rocks”, in The Hawk's Done Gone, page 218

At the breaking edge with him and completely fed up with his everlasting bragging and blowing about his personal exploits, and desirous of putting him somewhere, anywhere, so they wouldn't be continuously annoyed by him, […]

1969, Charles Ambrose McCarthy, The Great Molly Maguire Hoax, page 113

Audie never liked him because he was further in with old Craig than he was, bragging and blowing about his work and the things he could do, while Audie sat quiet as a mouse listening to his blab.

1976, David Toulmin, Blown Seed, page 148

'As for that,' says Will, 'I could tell it well enough, if I had it, but I must not be seen anywhere among my old acquaintances, for I am blown, and they will all betray me.'

1722, Daniel Defoe, Colonel Jack

Hey man, you wanna cop some blow? / Sure, what you got, dust, flakes or rocks?

1983, “White Lines (Don't Do It)”, performed by Grandmaster Melle Mel

Jesus Christ, George, I don't see you for two years and you show up on my doorstep with 110 pounds of blow.

2001, David McKenna, Blow, spoken by Derek

I ran out of blow a long time ago / I can't smoke a J or my guts fly away

2023, “Modern Day Ripoff”, in Every Loser, performed by Iggy Pop

The sounding of the alarm was the signal to begin the emergency blow maneuver. At this time, witnesses reported, the guest at the high-pressure air controls operated the levers under close supervision of Navy personnel, and the submarine started to rise at a sharp angle.

2005 September 29, National Transportation Safety Board, “Emergency Evolutions”, in Marine Accident Brief: Collision between the U.S. Navy Submarine USS Greeneville and Japanese Motor Vessel Ehime Maru near Oahu, Hawaii, 9 February 2001‎, archived from the original on 25 March 2022, page 24

[H]e suddenly flung down his brush on the floor, said 'Bother!' and 'Oh blow!' and also 'Hang spring-cleaning!' and bolted out of the house without even waiting to put on his coat.

1908 October, Kenneth Grahame, “The River Bank”, in The Wind in the Willows, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, pages 1–2

There he found that […] Hanno's camp was crowded with cattle and carriages, and a mixed multitude of unarmed men, and even of women and children; and that a vigorous blow might win it with all its spoil: the indefatigable general was absent, scouring the country for additional supplies of corn.

1843, Thomas Arnold, “Progress of the War in Italy after the Battle of Cannæ. […]”, in J[ulius] C[harles] Hare, editor, History of Rome, volume III (From the End of the First to the End of the Second Punic War), London: B. Fellowes; […], page 227

a most poor man, made tame to fortune's blows

c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene vi]

Norwich returned to second in the Championship with victory over Nottingham Forest, whose promotion hopes were dealt another blow.

2011 April 15, Saj Chowdhury, “Norwich 2 - 1 Nott'm Forest”, in BBC Sport‎

Click goes his shears; click, click, click. / Wide are the blows, and his hand is moving quick, / The ringer looks round, for he lost it by a blow, / And he curses that old shearer with the bare belled ewe.

1891 December 5, The Bacchus Marsh Express, Victoria, page 7, column 7

"Blows" of quartz, crop out above the layers of slate, granite, and sandstone formation.

1887, Harriet W. Daly, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 315

The blow is important because it transitions the reader and eventually the audience from one scene to another.

2014, Martie Cook, Write to TV: Out of Your Head and onto the Screen, page 105

You ſeeme to me as Diane in her Orbe, / As chaſte as is the budde ere it be blowne:

1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene i], page 114, column 2

How blows the citron grove.

1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873,

Boys are at best but pretty buds unblown, / Whose scent and hues are rather guessed than known;

1784, William Cowper, Tirocinium; or, A Review of Schools

Irám indeed is gone with all its Rose,And Jamshýd's Sev'n-ring'd Cup where no one knows;But still the Vine her ancient Ruby yields,And still a Garden by the Water blows.

1859, Edward Fitzgerald, The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám: The Astronomer-Poet of Persia, page 2

Romanesco is slow to blow and more forgiving to grow than most cauliflowers, while being perhaps the most delicious and certainly the nuttiest-flavoured of the lot.

2015 January 26, Mark Diacono, “How to grow and cook cauliflower, 2015's trendiest veg”, in The Daily Telegraph (Gardening)‎

[…] for that he believed he could shew me such a blow of tulips as was not to be matched in the whole country.

1710, Joseph Addison, “From my own apartment, August 29”, in The Tatler‎, page 181