blow out
Britishverb
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to extinguish (a flame, candle, etc) or (of a flame, candle, etc) to become extinguished
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(intr) (of a tyre) to puncture suddenly, esp at high speed
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(intr) (of a fuse) to melt suddenly
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(tr; often reflexive) to diminish or use up the energy of
the storm blew itself out
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(intr) (of an oil or gas well) to lose oil or gas in an uncontrolled manner
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slang (tr) to cancel
the band had to blow out the gig
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to kill oneself by shooting oneself in the head
noun
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the sudden melting of an electrical fuse
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a sudden burst in a tyre
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the uncontrolled escape of oil or gas from an oil or gas well
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the failure of a jet engine, esp when in flight
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slang a large filling meal or lavish entertainment
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Extinguish, especially a flame. For example, The wind blew out the candles very quickly . [1300s]
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Lose force or cease entirely, as in The storm will soon blow itself out and move out to sea . Also see blow over .
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Burst or rupture suddenly, as in This tire is about to blow out . This usage alludes to the escape of air under pressure. [Early 1900s]
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Also, blow out of the water . Defeat decisively, as in With a great new product and excellent publicity, we could blow the competition out of the water . This term originally was used in mid-19th-century naval warfare, where it meant to blast or shoot another vessel to pieces. It later was transferred to athletic and other kinds of defeat. [ Slang ; mid-1900s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
After his senior year, he accepted a six-figure bonus to sign with the Dodgers, only to blow out his elbow after one season in the minor leagues.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 17, 2026
Duke, the 2026 top overall seed, has a score of 38.90—meaning the Blue Devils would be expected to blow out a team by nearly 39 points over 100 possessions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 17, 2026
On Sunday, the bull market that began in October 2022 will officially blow out the candles on its third birthday cake.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2025
So I decided to blow out the tenets of my current kitchen triage — salt, acid, oregano — into a full-blown meal.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2025
I let the air in my cheeks fill and then slowly blow out.
From "All American Boys" by Jason Reynolds
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
