blastoff

American  

[blast-awf, -of, blahst-] / ˈblæstˌɔf, -ˌɒf, ˈblɑst- /

noun

Aerospace.

1. the launching of a rocket, guided missile, or spacecraft.

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blastoff British  

/ ˈblɑːstˌɒf /

noun

1. the launching of a rocket under its own power

2. the time at which this occurs

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verb

1. (adverb; when tr, usually passive) (of a rocket, spacemen, etc) to be launched

Etymology

Origin of blastoff

First recorded in 1950–55; noun use of verb phrase blast off

Example Sentences

Many of those on waiting lists are biding their time before blastoff by signing up for training.

From Seattle Times • May 10, 2022

So the team instead settled on another idea: What if the rocket could be tossed several meters above the surface, allowing more clearance for blastoff?

From Scientific American • Mar. 4, 2022

The quartet of amateur space travelers, led by the American founder and chief executive of e-commerce firm Shift4 Payments Inc, Jared Isaacman, were due for blastoff as early as 8 p.m.

From Reuters • Sep. 15, 2021

This duet with fellow all-too-knowing West Coast soul man Bobby Womack is a satisfying outlier in Withers’ career, a buddy team blastoff on the Rolling Stones hit.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2020

Before my phone broke, I’d watched the blastoff footage online all the time to remind myself that I too was meant to be a scientist and someday walk in space.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas

Related Words

• launch
• liftoff
• takeoff