blast

[ blast ]

/ blæst /

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See synonyms for: blast / blasted / blasting / blaster on Thesaurus.com

noun

a sudden and violent gust of wind: Wintry blasts chilled us to the marrow.

the blowing of a trumpet, whistle, etc.: One blast of the siren was enough to clear the street.

a loud, sudden sound or noise: The radio let out an awful blast before I could turn it off.

a forcible stream of air from the mouth, bellows, or the like.

Machinery.

air forced into a furnace by a blower to increase the rate of combustion.
a jet of steam directed up a smokestack, as of a steam locomotive, to increase draft.
a draft thus increased.

a forceful or explosive throw, hit, etc.: a blast down the third-base line.

Slang.

a party or riotously good time: Did we have a blast last night!
something that gives great pleasure or enjoyment; thrill; treat: Duck hunting in Australia is a real blast!

a vigorous outburst of criticism; attack.

an electronic message sent simultaneously to a large number of people: an email blast;e-blast advertising;an SMS text blast.

blast wave.

Mining, Civil Engineering. the charge of dynamite or other explosive used at one firing in blasting operations.

the act of exploding; explosion: Some say the blast was in the next county.

any pernicious or destructive influence, especially on animals or plants; a blight.

the sudden death of buds, flowers, or young fruit.

verb (used with object)

to play loudly or make a loud noise on: to blast rock music;to blast a horn.

to cause to shrivel or wither; blight.

to affect with any harmful influence; ruin; wreck: Failure in the exam blasted her hopes for college.It was an indiscretion that blasted his good reputation.

to shatter, break up, or dislodge by or as if by an explosion: Their explosives were inadequate to blast the granite.

to make, form, open up, etc., by blasting: to blast a tunnel through a mountain.

to show to be false, unreliable, etc.; discredit: His facts soundly blasted the new evidence.

Informal. to curse; damn (usually followed by it or an object): Blast it, there's the phone again!Blast the time, we've got to finish this work.

to censure or criticize vigorously; denounce: In his campaign speech he really blasts the other party.

to hit or propel with great force: He blasted a homer that tied the game.They were blasted into outer space.

to shoot: The terrorists blasted him down.

verb (used without object)

to produce a loud, blaring sound: The trumpets blasted as the overture began.His voice blasted until the microphone was turned down.

to shoot: He whipped out his revolver and started blasting.

Slang. to take narcotics.

Verb Phrases

blast off,

(of a rocket) to leave a launch pad under its own power.
(of an astronaut) to travel aloft in a rocket.

OTHER WORDS FOR blast

1 squall, gale, blow, storm.

2 blare, screech.

12 detonation, outburst.

17 demolish.

See synonyms for blast on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

ALL IN FAVO(U)R OF THIS BRITISH VS. AMERICAN ENGLISH QUIZ

There's an ocean of difference between the way people speak English in the US vs. the UK. Are your language skills up to the task of telling the difference? Let's find out!

Question 1 of 7

True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.

true

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Idioms about blast

at full blast, at maximum capacity; at or with full volume or speed: The factory is going at full blast.Also full blast.

Origin of blast

First recorded before 1000; 1955–60 for def. 7a; Middle English (noun and verb); Old English blǣst (noun) “a blowing”; akin to Old Norse blāstr, Old High German blāst; see blow²

synonym study for blast

1. See wind¹.

OTHER WORDS FROM blast

blast·er, nounblast·y, adjectiveblast·i·er, adjectiveblast·i·est, adjective

Other definitions for blast (2 of 2)

-blast

a combining form meaning “bud, sprout,” “embryo,” “formative cells or cell layer,” used in the formation of compound words: ectoblast.

Origin of -blast

<Greek, combining form of blastós a bud, sprout

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use blast in a sentence

Here, in a dilapidated room, Saleem recounts the November blast.
The Dangerous Drug-Funded Secret War Between Iran and Pakistan|Umar Farooq|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The blast was so strong,” he said, “we thought the world was ending.
The Dangerous Drug-Funded Secret War Between Iran and Pakistan|Umar Farooq|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Now that he was Sir Alfred, there was one final blast of publicity.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Witnesses said the girls were in their late teens and had been accompanied by a man who left soon after the blast.
The New Face of Boko Haram’s Terror: Teen Girls|Nina Strochlic|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST

As the years went on, the bombshells kept coming—seemingly bigger with each blast.
I Warned You About Bill Cosby in 2007|Mark Ebner|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But the withering mildew was now breathed forth, that was intended to blast this goodly harvest.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
The sentinel was singing a sequedilla above; and its notes came to them with the wailing blast.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
The discharge-valve was then opened for a moment, allowing a blast of steam to escape, reducing the pressure say to one-half.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2)|Francis Trevithick
That counter-blast of passion and that plain speaking from a quarter so unexpected served, in part at least, to sober him.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
It was not an ordinary blast, but had a peculiarly musical timbre, very much like the note of a mouth-organ.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 158, April 28, 1920|Various

British Dictionary definitions for blast (1 of 2)

blast

/ (blɑːst) /

noun

an explosion, as of dynamite

the rapid movement of air away from the centre of an explosion, combustion of rocket fuel, etc
a wave of overpressure caused by an explosion; shock wave

the charge of explosive used in a single explosion

a sudden strong gust of wind or air

a sudden loud sound, as of a trumpet

a violent verbal outburst, as of criticism

a forcible jet or stream of air, esp one used to intensify the heating effect of a furnace, increase the draught in a steam engine, or break up coal at a coalface

any of several diseases of plants and animals, esp one producing withering in plants

US slang a very enjoyable or thrilling experiencethe party was a blast

full blast or at full blast at maximum speed, volume, etc

interjection

slang an exclamation of annoyance (esp in phrases such as blast it! and blast him!)

verb

to destroy or blow up with explosives, shells, etc

to make or cause to make a loud harsh noise

(tr) to remove, open, etc, by an explosionto blast a hole in a wall

(tr) to ruin; shatterthe rain blasted our plans for a picnic

to wither or cause to wither; blight or be blighted

to criticize severely

to shoot or shoot athe blasted the hat off her head; he blasted away at the trees

Derived forms of blast

blaster, noun

Word Origin for blast

Old English blǣst, related to Old Norse blāstr

British Dictionary definitions for blast (2 of 2)

-blast

n combining form

(in biology) indicating an embryonic cell or formative layermesoblast

Word Origin for -blast

from Greek blastos bud

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with blast

blast

In addition to the idiom beginning with blast

blast off

also see:

full blast

blast

OTHER WORDS FOR blast

Idioms about blast

Origin of blast

synonym study for blast

OTHER WORDS FROM blast

Other definitions for blast (2 of 2)

Origin of -blast

Words related to blast

How to use blast in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for blast (1 of 2)

Derived forms of blast

Word Origin for blast

British Dictionary definitions for blast (2 of 2)

Word Origin for -blast

Other Idioms and Phrases with blast