blower

American  

[bloh-er] / ˈbloʊ ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that blows.

2. a machine for supplying air at a moderate pressure, as to supply forced drafts or supercharge and scavenge diesel engines.

3. snow blower.

4. Mining. a jet of firedamp issuing from a crevice.

5. Slang. a braggart.

6. supercharger.

7. Chiefly British Slang. a telephone.

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blower British  

/ ˈbləʊə /

noun

1. a mechanical device, such as a fan, that blows

2. a low-pressure rotary compressor, esp in a furnace or internal-combustion engine See also supercharger

3. an informal name for telephone

4. an informal name for speaking tube

5. an informal name for a whale 1

6. mining a discharge of firedamp from a crevice

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Etymology

Origin of blower

before 900; Middle English; Old English. See blow ², -er ¹

Example Sentences

Most of the movie takes place in that witching-hour window, an airlessly silent time where an at-home podcaster doesn’t worry about being interrupted by a leaf blower, an ice cream truck or a dog.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026

The character, a compulsive talker whose social manner is as subtle as a leaf blower, poses a tremendous acting challenge, being as intensely annoying as she is mysteriously alluring.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 17, 2025

For comparison, my go-to battery-powered leaf blower uses a brick-size 40-volt pack to reach 180 mph.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 2, 2025

“When I got there, I saw a guy with a leaf blower and two camping chairs”—to clear the detritus and provide a place to rest—“and I was like, ‘Wow, this is grown up skating.’

From The Wall Street Journal • Aug. 21, 2025

The smoke blower pressed my nose with the tip of his finger.

From "Milkweed" by Jerry Spinelli