ENGLISH
REFERENCE

blown

v. · adj.
US //ˈbɫoʊn// UK //blˈəʊn// blown
  1. 1 past participle of blow (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    the form of 'blow' used after 'have' or 'be'.

    the past participle of the irregular verb 'blow'.

    Example

    The strong wind has blown several trees down across the road.

    Example

    By the time the storm subsided, the gale had blown the heavy patio furniture into the far corner of the garden.

    Pitfall
    The wind has blowed all day.
    The wind has blown all day.

    The past participle of 'blow' is 'blown', not 'blowed'.

  2. 2 ruined or failed (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    destroyed, ruined, or no longer working.

    having failed or been rendered inoperable, often referring to electrical components or opportunities.

    Example

    The light bulb is blown, so we need to buy a new one.

    Example

    The witness realised his cover was blown when he saw the suspicious black car parked outside his apartment building.
  3. 3 shaped by air (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    shaped by blowing air into a material while it is hot.

    formed or shaped by the use of a current of air, typically referring to glass or insulation.

    Example

    She bought a beautiful hand-blown glass vase at the market.

    Example

    The artisan demonstrated how hand-blown glass requires precise temperature control and steady breath to achieve a uniform thickness.
  4. 4 out of breath (adj.)
    C2 Proficiency Literary

    breathing very hard because of exercise.

    panting and physically exhausted from exertion.

    Example

    The horse was blown after the long race across the fields.

    Example

    The messenger arrived at the gates entirely blown, unable to speak until he had rested for several minutes.
Origin

From Middle English blawen, from Old English blāƿen, blāwen, past participle of Old English blāwan. Morphologically blow + -n.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 19, 2026