blow out
Britishverb
-
to extinguish (a flame, candle, etc) or (of a flame, candle, etc) to become extinguished
-
(intr) (of a tyre) to puncture suddenly, esp at high speed
-
(intr) (of a fuse) to melt suddenly
-
(tr; often reflexive) to diminish or use up the energy of
the storm blew itself out
-
(intr) (of an oil or gas well) to lose oil or gas in an uncontrolled manner
-
slang (tr) to cancel
the band had to blow out the gig
-
to kill oneself by shooting oneself in the head
noun
-
the sudden melting of an electrical fuse
-
a sudden burst in a tyre
-
the uncontrolled escape of oil or gas from an oil or gas well
-
the failure of a jet engine, esp when in flight
-
slang a large filling meal or lavish entertainment
-
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]
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.