• Blast

    Pronunciation

    • RP enPR: bläst, IPA: /blɑːst/
    • US enPR: blăst, IPA: /blæst/
    • Rhymes: -ɑːst

    Origin 1

    From Middle English blast from Old English blǣst ("blowing, blast"), from Proto-Germanic *blēstaz, *blēstuz ("blowing, blast"). Cognate with German Blast ("wind, blowing"). More at blow.

    Full definition of blast

    Noun

    blast

    (plural blasts)
    1. (violent gust of wind)A violent gust of wind.
      • ThomsonAnd see where surly Winter passes off,
        Far to the north, and calls his ruffian blasts;
        His blasts obey, and quit the howling hill.
    2. A forcible stream of air from an orifice, as from a bellows, the mouth, etc. Hence: The continuous blowing to which one charge of ore or metal is subjected in a furnace; as, to melt so many tons of iron at a blast.
      • 1957, H.R. Schubert, History of the British Iron and Steel Industry, p. 146:Blast was produced by bellows worked by four 'blowers', three of whom worked at a time while the fourth stood ready to replace one of the others.
    3. The exhaust steam from an engine, driving a column of air out of a boiler chimney, and thus creating an intense draught through the fire; also, any draught produced by the blast.
    4. An explosion, especially for the purpose of destroying a mass of rock, etc.
      • 2006, w, Internal Combustion Chapter 1, Blast after blast, fiery outbreak after fiery outbreak, like a flaming barrage from within,...most of Edison's grounds soon became an inferno.  As though on an incendiary rampage, the fires systematically devoured the contents of Edison's headquarters and facilities.
    5. An explosive charge for blasting.
      • TomlinsonLarge blasts are often used.
    6. A loud, sudden sound.
      • Sir Walter ScottOne blast upon his bugle horn
        Were worth a thousand men.
      • Bryantthe blast of triumph o'er thy grave
      • 1884: Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter VIIIThen the captain sung out "Stand away!" and the cannon let off such a blast right before me that it made me deef with the noise and pretty near blind with the smoke, and I judged I was gone.
    7. A sudden, pernicious effect, as if by a noxious wind, especially on animals and plants; a blight.
      • Bible, Job iv. 9By the blast of God they perish.
      • Shakespearevirtue preserved from fell destruction's blast
    8. (figuratively, informal) A good time; an enjoyable moment.We had a blast at the party last night.
    9. (marketing) A promotional message sent to an entire mailing list.an e-mail blast; a fax blast
    10. A flatulent disease of sheep.

    Verb

    1. (transitive) To confound by a loud blast or din.
      • ShakespeareTrumpeters,
        With brazen din blast you the city's ear.
    2. (intransitive) To make a loud noise.
    3. (transitive) To shatter, as if by an explosion.
    4. (transitive) To open up a hole in, usually by means of a sudden and imprecise method (such as an explosion).Blast right through it.
    5. (transitive) To curse; to damn.Blast it! Foiled again.
    6. (transitive) (sci-fi) To shoot, especially with an energy weapon (as opposed to one which fires projectiles).Chewbacca blasted the Stormtroopers with his laser rifle.
    7. (soccer) To shoot; kick the ball in hope of scoring a goal.
      • 2010, December 29, Chris Whyatt, Chelsea 1 - 0 Bolton, A Ricketts and Stuart Holden one-two around the box then created a decent chance for an almost instant equaliser - but Welsh full-back Ricketts blasted over when a calmer finish could have been rewarded.
    8. To criticize or reprimand severely; to verbally discipline or punish.My manager suddenly blasted me yesterday for being a little late to work for five days in a row, because I was never getting myself up on time.
    9. (transitive) To blight or wither.A cold wind blasted the rose plants.
    10. (intransitive, obsolete) To be blighted or withered.The bud blasted in the blossom.
    11. (obsolete, intransitive) To blow, as on a trumpet.
      • ChaucerToke his blake trumpe faste
        And gan to puffen and to blaste.

    Interjection

    1. Blast it; damn it.

    Origin 2

    From Ancient Greek βλαστός (blastos, "germ or sprout").

    Noun

    blast

    (plural blasts)
    1. (cytology) An immature or undifferentiated cell (e.g., lymphoblast, myeloblast).

    Anagrams

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