ENGLISH
REFERENCE

blast

n. countable
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈbɫæst// UK //blˈɑːst// blast Archaic Informal Slang

n. a very fun or exciting experience. You use this when you had a great time at a party or event.

n. an exceptionally enjoyable or exciting experience. Informal in register; frequently used in the construction 'to have a blast'.


SIMPLE

The party was a total blast.

CONTEXTUAL

We had a blast at the concert last night despite the rain and the long walk back to the car.

COMPLEX

While the professional networking event was expected to be dry and formal, it turned out to be an absolute blast thanks to the charismatic guest speakers.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English blast, blest, from Old English blǣst (“blowing, blast”), from Proto-West Germanic blāstu, from Proto-Germanic blēstuz (“blowing, blast”). Cognate with West Frisian blast (“blast”), dialectal Dutch blast (“stubborn intent, drumming”), obsolete German Blast (“wind, blowing”), German blasen (“to blow”), Dutch blazen (“to blow”), Danish blæst (“wind”), French blaser (“to blunt, dull”). More at blow.

Etymology 2

From Middle English blasten, blesten, from Old English blǣstan (“to blow, blast”), from Proto-West Germanic blēstijan, from Proto-Germanic blēstijaną. Possibly related to Middle High German blesten (“to stand out, plop, splash”).

Etymology 3

From Ancient Greek βλαστός (blastós, “germ or sprout”).

Etymology 4

From BLAST (an acronym for Basic Local Alignment Search Tool).

Usage

Commonly used in the idiomatic phrase 'to have a blast'.

Idioms5 entries

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