blister

[ blis-ter ]

/ ˈblɪs tər /

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See synonyms for: blister / blistered / blistering on Thesaurus.com

noun

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

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

a relatively large bubble occurring in glass during blowing.

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

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

a dome or skylight on a building.

the moving bubble in a spirit level.

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.

verb (used with object)

to raise a blister or blisters on: These new shoes blistered my feet.

to criticize or rebuke severely: The boss blistered his assistant in front of the whole office.

to beat or thrash; punish severely.

verb (used without object)

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

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Origin of blister

1250–1300; Middle English blister, blester<Old Norse blǣstri, dative of blāstr swelling. See blast, blow²

OTHER WORDS FROM blister

re·blis·ter, verbun·blis·tered, adjective

Words nearby blister

blipvert, bliss, blissful, bliss out, B list, blister, blister beetle, blister copper, blister gas, blistering, blister pack

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for blister

This was vital for an especially rainy 50K in Wyoming, when any kind of recurring movement would definitely have resulted in blisters.
The Ultra Vesta Is a Runner’s Dream Pack|Abigail Wise|February 19, 2021|Outside Online
Palestinian artist Mahmoud Al Haj builds bleak cityscapes from pictures of medicine blister packs, inserting small photos of people at windows amid the nooks left by popped-out pills.
In the galleries: Middle East artists examine sheltering in place amid pandemic|Mark Jenkins|January 15, 2021|Washington Post
Breathable shoes allow your sweat to evaporate more quickly while keeping your feet cooler and protecting them from blisters and fungi.
Best running shoes for men: Five things to consider|Eric Alt|December 9, 2020|Popular Science
Drew’s boots are also made of a softer leather than other popular fire boots, which amounts to a quicker break-in time and fewer blisters.
The Durable Gear One Wildland Firefighter Swears By|Amanda Monthei|October 28, 2020|Outside Online

Luckily with these heel cushion Inserts, you can flaunt your new kicks and not worry about painful blisters.
Clothing and accessories that make great gifts|PopSci Commerce Team|October 6, 2020|Popular Science
I ended up developing a blister on one of my vocal cords, so that kinda sucked.
Deer Tick's John McCauley on Ten Years in Rock and Roll|James Joiner|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Blister rust is like having the flu; the pine beetle is like fast acting leukemia.
What It Takes to Kill a Grizzly Bear|Doug Peacock|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Briefly, blister rust is an Asian fungus introduced from Europe to America around 1900.
What It Takes to Kill a Grizzly Bear|Doug Peacock|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His face was yellowing again, under the blister of sun and alkali.
Warrior Gap|Charles King
How is it that the moon, that enormous blister-plaster, does not raise them?
Canada and the Canadians|Sir Richard Henry Bonnycastle
The blister, if larger than a half dollar, should be opened near the edge with a needle which has been passed through a flame.
The Mother and Her Child|William S. Sadler
The burns which destroy the outer layer of the skin, producing a blister, are treated much as a wound would be treated.
The Mother and Her Child|William S. Sadler
For this I've wrought until my weary tongue, Blister'd with incantation, flags in speech, And half declines its office.
The Ontario Readers: The High School Reader, 1886|Ministry of Education

British Dictionary definitions for blister

blister

/ (ˈblɪstə) /

noun

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

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

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

slang an irritating person

NZ slang a rebuke

verb

to have or cause to have blisters

(tr) to attack verbally with great scorn or sarcasm

Derived forms of blister

blistered, adjectiveblistery, adjective

Word Origin for blister

C13: from Old French blestre, probably from Middle Dutch bluyster blister; see blast

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

Medical definitions for blister

blister

[ blĭs′tər ]

n.

A local swelling of the skin that contains watery fluid and is caused by burning, infection, or irritation.

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