Word
blowing
Phoneticsblow·ing
US/ˈbɫoʊɪŋ/
UK/blˈəʊɪŋ/
Definitions
01moving air
v. when the wind or air is moving.
v. the continuous movement of air currents, typically referring to the wind.
“A cold wind was blowing across the lake all afternoon.”
“The gale was blowing with such intensity that the coastal residents were advised to remain indoors until the storm front passed.”
Usage
Often used in the continuous form to describe weather conditions.
Synonyms
02pushing air from the mouth
v. sending air out of your mouth to cool something or make a sound.
v. the act of expelling air from the mouth, often for the purpose of cooling, clearing, or sounding an instrument.
“She was blowing on her hot coffee to cool it down.”
“The musician spent hours blowing into the saxophone, refining the tone of the lower register for the upcoming jazz festival.”
Usage
Frequently takes the preposition 'on' when directed at an object.
Synonyms
03the act of moving air
n. the action or sound of air being moved or pushed.
n. the action of one who blows or the physical manifestation of air being moved.
“The constant blowing of the whistle was starting to annoy the neighbors.”
“The rhythmic blowing of the glass required immense lung capacity and precise control over the temperature of the molten material.”
Etymology
From Middle English blowynge, blowende, from Old English blāwende, from Proto-Germanic blēandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic blēaną (“to blow”), equivalent to blow + -ing.
From Middle English blowynge, blowyng, from Old English blāwung (“blowing”), equivalent to blow + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
which way the wind is blowing — The prevailing opinion or current view of most people, especially people with influence.