blister

American  

[blis-ter] / ˈblɪs tər /

noun

1. a thin vesicle on the skin, containing watery matter or serum, as from a burn or other injury.

2. any similar swelling, as an air bubble in a coat of paint.

3. a relatively large bubble occurring in glass during blowing.

4. Military.  a transparent bulge or dome on the fuselage of an airplane, usually for mounting a gun.

5. Photography.  a bubble of air formed where the emulsion has separated from the base of a film, as because of defective processing.

6. a dome or skylight on a building.

7. the moving bubble in a spirit level.

8. a small blisterlike covering of plastic, usually affixed to a piece of cardboard and containing a small item, as a pen, bolt, or medicinal tablet.

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verb (used with object)

1. to raise a blister or blisters on.

   These new shoes blistered my feet.

2. to criticize or rebuke severely.

   The boss blistered his assistant in front of the whole office.

3. to beat or thrash; punish severely.

verb (used without object)

1. to form or rise as a blister or blisters; become blistered.

blister British  

/ ˈblɪstə /

noun

1. a small bubble-like elevation of the skin filled with serum, produced as a reaction to a burn, mechanical irritation, etc

2. a swelling containing air or liquid, as on a painted surface

3. a transparent dome or any bulge on the fuselage of an aircraft, such as one used for observation

4. slang  an irritating person

5. slang  a rebuke

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verb

1. to have or cause to have blisters

2. (tr) to attack verbally with great scorn or sarcasm

Other Word Forms

• blistered adjective
• blistery adjective
• reblister verb
• unblistered adjective

Etymology

Origin of blister

1250–1300; Middle English blister, blester < Old Norse blǣstri, dative of blāstr swelling. See blast, blow ²

Example Sentences

But Bath responded with a Russell penalty and a blistering Arundell intercept from some 80 metres out.

From Barron's

UV radiation can injure DNA and generate oxidative stress in skin cells, which in turn triggers inflammation that causes the familiar redness, pain, and blistering of sunburn.

From Science Daily

Norris was blisteringly quick on his first lap but a loss of front grip in Turn Two on his second meant he had to abort and opened the door to his team-mate.

From BBC

But in most respects, he was Welty’s tireless enthusiast, even writing to the New Republic to defend her from a blistering review of her novel “Delta Wedding” in 1946.

From The Wall Street Journal

Scientists are also developing faster, more accurate tools to diagnose autoimmune blistering diseases—conditions that occur when the immune system attacks proteins that hold skin layers together.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• abscess
• cyst
• pimple
• sore
• ulcer
• welt