blow off
Britishverb
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to permit (a gas under pressure, esp steam) to be released
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slang (intr) to emit wind noisily from the anus
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informal (tr) to reject or jilt (someone)
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See steam
noun
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a discharge of a surplus fluid, such as steam, under pressure
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a device through which such a discharge is made
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Vent one's strong feelings; see blow off steam .
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Disregard, ignore; evade something important. For example, If you blow off your homework, you're bound to run into trouble on the exam . [ Slang ; second half of 1900s]
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Overcome, defeat easily, as in With Rob pitching, we'll have no trouble blowing off the opposing team . [ Slang ; 1950s] Also see blow away , def. 2.
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Ignore, abandon, refuse to take part. For example, The college is blowing off our request for a new student center . [ 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.
She was no longer the only Asian, but she still straddled an economic gulf, juggling work-study jobs while affluent classmates blew off steam by shopping at Armani Exchange.
From New York Times
A cool breeze blows off the West Manila Bay into a grove of mango trees some 100km west of the Philippine capital.
From BBC
One shotgun blast blew off the top of Paul’s head; a semiautomatic rifle riddled Maggie’s body before the shooter administered a kill shot to her head.
From Washington Post
Marcus remembers the girls blowing off his game plan, choosing to run a handoff play that he knew wouldn’t work against a zone defense.
From Los Angeles Times
"Sometimes she just needs to blow off some steam," Pantoja said.
From Fox News
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.
