blow
- 01 A2 Elementary
v.to move air, like the wind or when you push air out of your mouth.
v.to produce or be moved by a current of air. Intransitive when referring to the wind; transitive when propelling an object.
Simple“A cold wind began to blow from the north as the sun went down.”
In context“The wind blew so fiercely during the storm that several ancient oaks in the park were completely uprooted.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
v.to fail at something or lose a great opportunity by making a mistake.
v.to fail at a task or squander an opportunity through incompetence or error.
Simple“I had a chance to win the game, but I blew it by missing the final shot.”
In context“The candidate blew his chances of winning the election when he made those controversial remarks during the live debate.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
v.to break or be destroyed by an explosion.
v.to cause to explode or to be destroyed by internal pressure or explosives. Often used with 'up'.
Simple“The soldiers had to blow the bridge to stop the enemy from crossing.”
In context“The demolition crew prepared to blow the old factory building at dawn to make way for the new housing development.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to spend a lot of money very quickly on things you do not need.
v.to squander or spend money recklessly and wastefully.
Simple“He blew his entire paycheck on a new designer watch.”
In context“After winning a small fortune in the lottery, he managed to blow the entire sum on luxury cars and expensive parties within a year.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.you say this when something is very annoying or of bad quality.
v.to be extremely unpleasant, disappointing, or of poor quality.
Simple“It really blows that we have to work on a Saturday.”
In context“The new sequel to the movie really blows; the plot is nonsensical and the acting is subpar.”
- 06 C1 Advanced
v.to perform oral sex on someone.
v.to perform fellatio upon a partner.
Simple“The movie was rated R because it contained scenes of people blowing each other.”
In context“The script was censored by the studio because it contained explicit references to characters blowing one another in the club.”
- 07 B1 Intermediate
- 08 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a sudden event that causes sadness or disappointment.
n.a sudden shock or misfortune that causes emotional distress or failure.
Simple“Losing his job was a major blow to his confidence.”
In context“The sudden cancellation of the funding was a crushing blow to the research team's long-term goals.”
Synonyms - 09 C1 Advanced
- 10 C2 Proficiency
“In space, there is no air to blow across hot equipment and help heat escape.”
“Protecting surf areas can also support local economies, especially if it’s done before sites blow up as major travel destinations.”