ENGLISH
REFERENCE

blow off steam

idiom
Meaning

To vent; to talk or take action (especially in a ranting or unrestrained way) so as to relieve stress.


Origin

disputed origin

Relief valves released the excess pressure in a steam engine to prevent the boiler from exploding.

Examples
SIMPLE

He goes to the gym to blow off steam after work.

CONTEXTUAL

After a frustrating meeting, she called her friend to blow off steam and complain for a while.

COMPLEX

Rather than bottle up his anger, the exhausted teacher went for a long run to blow off steam before facing his students again.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    blow a fuse

    To lose one's temper; to become enraged.

  2. 02

    blow a hole through

    To destroy the integrity or cohesion of.

  3. 03

    blow a kiss

    To kiss one's own hand, then blow on it in a direction towards the recipient.

  4. 04

    blow away

    To kill (someone) by shooting them with a firearm.

  5. 05

    blow chunks

    To vomit chunks of undigested food.

  6. 06

    blow hot air

    To engage in empty or exaggerated talk that lacks substance, credibility, or truth; to bluster.

  7. 07

    blow hot and cold

    To behave inconsistently; to vacillate or to waver, as between extremes of opinion or emotion.

  8. 08

    blow me

    An expression of discontent or aggravation to another party (with a metaphorical connotation of fellatio).

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