English Reference

Phrasal verb

blow down

Definition

phrasal verb. when a strong wind makes something fall to the ground.

phrasal verb. to cause something to fall or collapse by the force of wind; typically used with structures, trees, or fences.

Examples

“The storm blew down the old fence.”

“Several large trees were blown down during the hurricane last night, blocking the main road.”

“Engineers warned that the temporary scaffolding might be blown down if the gale-force winds exceeded sixty miles per hour.”

Examples

simple

“The storm blew down the old fence.”

contextual

“Several large trees were blown down during the hurricane last night, blocking the main road.”

complex

“Engineers warned that the temporary scaffolding might be blown down if the gale-force winds exceeded sixty miles per hour.”

Usage

often used in the passive voice when describing the results of a storm.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'blow away', which implies the object is carried off into the distance, whereas 'blow down' implies it simply falls over.

Pitfall

The wind blew down it.

The wind blew it down.

when using a pronoun like 'it', you must place it between the verb and the particle.

Phrasal verb

Particles

down

Separability

optional

Pattern

blow + (object) + down

Synonyms

knock overtopplefelled

Antonyms

Grammar

This entry

Level
B1 · Intermediate
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/blow-down

English Reference