Blast
Pronunciation
- RP enPR: bläst, IPA: /blÉ‘Ëst/
- US enPR: blăst, IPA: /blæst/
- Rhymes: -É‘Ëst
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)- (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. - 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- An explosive charge for blasting.
- TomlinsonLarge blasts are often used.
- 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.
- 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
- (figuratively, informal) A good time; an enjoyable moment.We had a blast at the party last night.
- (marketing) A promotional message sent to an entire mailing list.an e-mail blast; a fax blast
- A flatulent disease of sheep.
Verb
- (transitive) To confound by a loud blast or din.
- ShakespeareTrumpeters,
With brazen din blast you the city's ear. - (intransitive) To make a loud noise.
- (transitive) To shatter, as if by an explosion.
- (transitive) To open up a hole in, usually by means of a sudden and imprecise method (such as an explosion).Blast right through it.
- (transitive) To curse; to damn.Blast it! Foiled again.
- (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.
- (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.
- 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.
- (transitive) To blight or wither.A cold wind blasted the rose plants.
- (intransitive, obsolete) To be blighted or withered.The bud blasted in the blossom.
- (obsolete, intransitive) To blow, as on a trumpet.
- ChaucerToke his blake trumpe faste
And gan to puffen and to blaste.
Derived terms
Interjection
- Blast it; damn it.
Origin 2
From Ancient Greek βλαστός (blastos, "germ or sprout").
Noun
blast
(plural blasts)- (cytology) An immature or undifferentiated cell (e.g., lymphoblast, myeloblast).