blow out

verb

1. to extinguish (a flame, candle, etc) or (of a flame, candle, etc) to become extinguished

2. (intr) (of a tyre) to puncture suddenly, esp at high speed

3. (intr) (of a fuse) to melt suddenly

4. (tr; often reflexive) to diminish or use up the energy of

   the storm blew itself out

5. (intr) (of an oil or gas well) to lose oil or gas in an uncontrolled manner

6. slang,  (tr) to cancel

   the band had to blow out the gig

7. to kill oneself by shooting oneself in the head

noun

1. the sudden melting of an electrical fuse

2. a sudden burst in a tyre

3. the uncontrolled escape of oil or gas from an oil or gas well

4. the failure of a jet engine, esp when in flight

5. slang,  a large filling meal or lavish entertainment

Idioms and Phrases

Extinguish, especially a flame. For example, The wind blew out the candles very quickly . [1300s]

Lose force or cease entirely, as in The storm will soon blow itself out and move out to sea . Also see blow over .

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]

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

During those early album sessions, where she was also learning how to write songs, she kept blowing out her voice “because I didn’t really know how to control it.”

From Los Angeles Times

Baltimore’s defense is trending up; the Ravens blew out Cleveland after a slow start.

From Los Angeles Times

But back then, pictures of Epstein and Lord Mandelson trying on belts in a clothes shop, and blowing out candles on a birthday cake were in the public domain.

From BBC

So I decided to blow out the tenets of my current kitchen triage — salt, acid, oregano — into a full-blown meal.

From Salon

The pipe blew out before that happened, according to a news release.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• dampen 
• daunt 
• debilitate 
• deject 
• disconcert 
• discourage 
• dishearten 
• disorganize 
• dispirit 
• disturb 
• embarrass 
• sap 
• undermine 
• unsettle 
• upset 
• weaken