# blow in

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/blow-in
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to arrive unexpectedly

phrasal verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to arrive somewhere suddenly or without an invitation, often in a casual way.

For teachers: to arrive at a location unexpectedly and casually. The verb is intransitive in this sense.

- We were just sitting down to dinner when my old college roommate blew in.
- The cousins blew in from the coast just as the party was winding down, bringing a fresh wave of energy to the room.

Usage: This phrasal verb is intransitive and does not take a direct object.

Teaching tip: This sense implies a lack of planning or a sudden, breezy entrance like a gust of wind.

### 2. to waste money

phrasal verb · CEFR C2 · Slang

to spend a lot of money very quickly or foolishly.

For teachers: to squander or waste a significant amount of a resource, typically money, in a short period. Transitive use.

- He blew in his entire inheritance on expensive cars and luxury holidays.
- After winning the lottery, he managed to blow in nearly half the jackpot within six months on speculative investments.

Usage: Takes a direct object, usually a sum of money or a resource.

Teaching tip: This is a very informal usage; in professional contexts, 'squander' or 'deplete' is preferred.

### 3. to start a furnace

phrasal verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to start a large industrial oven used for making metal.

For teachers: to activate a blast furnace by removing moisture and igniting fuel to begin the smelting process.

- The steel mill prepared to blow in the new furnace after months of maintenance.
- Engineers monitored the pressure levels closely as they began to blow in the blast furnace for the first time this year.

Usage: Used primarily in the context of metallurgy and heavy industry.

Teaching tip: This is a highly specialized term that most learners will only encounter in industrial or historical texts.

## Examples

- Look who just blew in from the rain.
- We were just sitting down for dinner when my old college roommate blew in without calling first.
- A cold front blew in from the north, bringing a sudden chill that caught the hikers completely off guard.

## Usage notes

- Teaching tip: highlight the informal, 'wind-like' quality of the arrival; it suggests the person didn't plan the visit or arrived with a lot of energy.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.