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 make a loud noise on; blow (a trumpet, automobile horn, etc.): He blasted his horn irritably at every car in his way.
to cause to shrivel or wither; blight.
to affect with any pernicious influence; ruin; destroy: Failure in the exam blasted her hopes for college. It was an indiscretion that blasted his good reputation.
to break up or dislodge (a tree stump, rock, etc.): 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.
Idioms
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
before 1000;1955–60for def 7a; Middle English (noun and v.); Old Englishblǣst (noun) a blowing; akin to Old Norseblāstr,Old High Germanblāst (derivative of blāsan, cognate with Gothicufblēsan,Old Norseblāsa). See blow2
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
USslanga very enjoyable or thrilling experiencethe party was a blast
full blastorat full blastat maximum speed, volume, etc
interjection
slangan 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
Old English blæst "blowing, breeze, puff of wind," from Proto-Germanic *bles- (cf. Old Norse blastr, Old High German blast "a blowing, blast," German blasen, Gothic blesan "to blow"), from PIE *bhle- "to blow," probably a variant of root *bhel- (2) "to blow, inflate, swell" (see bole).
Meaning "explosion" is from 1630s; that of "noisy party, good time" is from 1953, American English slang. Sense of "strong current of air for iron-smelting" (1690s) led to blast furnace and transferred sense in full blast "the extreme" (1839). Blast was the usual word for "a smoke of tobacco" c.1600.
v.
Old English blæstan "to blow, belch forth," from the root of blast (n.). Since 16c., often "to breathe on balefully." Meaning "to blow up by explosion" is from 1758. Related: Blasted; blasting. Blast off (n.) is attested from 1950.
blasto-
before vowels blast-, word-forming element used in scientific compounds to mean "germ, bud," from Greek blasto-, comb. form of blastos "sprout, germ," of unknown origin.
