An Americanism dating back to 1930–35
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He provides a blow-by-blow account of the days leading up to the ruling’s publication, including internal communications between the judges that, as a rule, are never shared with the public.
From Slate • Nov. 20, 2025
“Smile” seems like kids’ stuff next to the excruciating blow-by-blow of “West End Girl,” which was recorded speedily last December.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025
It was painstaking, and sometimes dull, and included a blow-by-blow account about how checks were approved, then cut, then mailed, then signed, then returned.
From Seattle Times • May 10, 2024
British newspapers carried blow-by-blow accounts of the trial with headlines like 'Mussoorie murder trial', 'hotel mystery' and the 'crystal gazing trial'.
From BBC • Jan. 13, 2024
Of course, we gave the entire office staff a blow-by-blow account of the incident, which had been far from pleasant.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
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.
