Word Study
blast
CIDE DICTIONARY
blast, n. [AS. bl a puff of wind, a blowing; akin to Icel. blāstr, OHG. blāst, and fr. a verb akin to Icel. blāsa to blow, OHG. blâsan, Goth. bl (in comp.); all prob. from the same root as E. blow. See Blow to eject air.].
- A violent gust of wind. [1913 Webster]"And see where surly Winter passes off,
Far to the north, and calls his ruffian blasts;
His blasts obey, and quit the howling hill." [1913 Webster] - A forcible stream of air from an orifice, as from a bellows, the mouth, etc. Hence: The continuous blowing to which one charge of ore or metal is subjected in a furnace; as, to melt so many tons of iron at a blast. [1913 Webster]" The terms hot blast and cold blast are employed to designate whether the current is heated or not heated before entering the furnace. A blast furnace is said to be in blast while it is in operation, and out of blast when not in use." [1913 Webster]
- The exhaust steam from and engine, driving a column of air out of a boiler chimney, and thus creating an intense draught through the fire; also, any draught produced by the blast. [1913 Webster]
- The sound made by blowing a wind instrument; strictly, the sound produces at one breath. [1913 Webster]"One blast upon his bugle horn
Were worth a thousand men." [1913 Webster]"The blast of triumph o'er thy grave." [1913 Webster] - A sudden, pernicious effect, as if by a noxious wind, especially on animals and plants; a blight. [1913 Webster]"By the blast of God they perish." [1913 Webster]"Virtue preserved from fell destruction's blast." [1913 Webster]
- The act of rending, or attempting to rend, heavy masses of rock, earth, etc., by the explosion of gunpowder, dynamite, etc.; also, the charge used for this purpose. Tomlinson. [1913 Webster]
- A flatulent disease of sheep. [1913 Webster]
blast, v. t.
- To injure, as by a noxious wind; to cause to wither; to stop or check the growth of, and prevent from fruit-bearing, by some pernicious influence; to blight; to shrivel. [1913 Webster]"Seven thin ears, and blasted with the east wind." [1913 Webster]
- Hence, to affect with some sudden violence, plague, calamity, or blighting influence, which destroys or causes to fail; to visit with a curse; to curse; to ruin; as, to blast pride, hopes, or character. [1913 Webster]"I'll cross it, though it blast me." [1913 Webster]"Blasted with excess of light." [1913 Webster]
- To confound by a loud blast or din. [1913 Webster]"Trumpeters,
With brazen din blast you the city's ear." [1913 Webster] - To rend open by any explosive agent, as gunpowder, dynamite, etc.; to shatter; as, to blast rocks. [1913 Webster]
blast, v. i.
- To be blighted or withered; as, the bud blasted in the blossom. [1913 Webster]
- To blow; to blow on a trumpet. [1913 Webster]"Toke his blake trumpe faste
And gan to puffen and to blaste." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
blast, n., v., & int.
--n.
1 a strong gust of wind.
2 a a destructive wave of highly compressed air spreading outwards from an explosion. b such an explosion.
3 the single loud note of a wind instrument, car horn, whistle, etc.
4 colloq. a severe reprimand.
5 a strong current of air used in smelting etc.
--v.
1 tr. blow up (rocks etc.) with explosives.
2 tr. a wither, shrivel, or blight (a plant, animal, limb, etc.) (blasted oak). b destroy, ruin (blasted her hopes). c strike with divine anger; curse.
3 intr. & tr. make or cause to make a loud or explosive noise (blasted away on his trumpet).
4 tr. colloq. reprimand severely.
5 colloq. a tr. shoot; shoot at. b intr. shoot.
--int. expressing annoyance.
--n.
1 a strong gust of wind.
2 a a destructive wave of highly compressed air spreading outwards from an explosion. b such an explosion.
3 the single loud note of a wind instrument, car horn, whistle, etc.
4 colloq. a severe reprimand.
5 a strong current of air used in smelting etc.
--v.
1 tr. blow up (rocks etc.) with explosives.
2 tr. a wither, shrivel, or blight (a plant, animal, limb, etc.) (blasted oak). b destroy, ruin (blasted her hopes). c strike with divine anger; curse.
3 intr. & tr. make or cause to make a loud or explosive noise (blasted away on his trumpet).
4 tr. colloq. reprimand severely.
5 colloq. a tr. shoot; shoot at. b intr. shoot.
--int. expressing annoyance.
Idiom
at full blast colloq. working at maximum speed etc. blast-furnace a smelting furnace into which compressed hot air is driven. blast-hole a hole containing an explosive charge for blasting. blast off (of a rocket etc.) take off from a launching site. blast-off n.
1 the launching of a rocket etc.
2 the initial thrust for this.
1 the launching of a rocket etc.
2 the initial thrust for this.
Etymology
OE bl{aelig}st f. Gmc
THESAURUS
blast
Bedlam let loose, accurse, aim at, anathematize, at full blast, attack, awake the dead, backfire, baffle, balk, bang, bark, barrage, bay, beat, bedlam, beep, bell, bellow, belt, blare, blaspheme, blast, blast the ear, blast-freeze, blat, blight, blitz, blot out, blow, blow a hurricane, blow great guns, blow out, blow over, blow the horn, blow to pieces, blow up, blowout, blowup, bluster, bobbery, bomb, bombard, boom, brave, brawl, bray, breeze, breeze up, brew, brouhaha, bugle, bump off, burst, bust, cancer, canker, cannon, cannonade, challenge, charge, charivari, checkmate, chirm, circumvent, clamor, clangor, clap, clarion, clatter, clobber, come up, commence firing, commotion, completely, confound, confront, congeal, contravene, counter, counteract, countermand, counterwork, crack, crash, crescendo, criticize, croak, cross, curse, damage, damn, darn, dash, deafen, defame, defeat, defy, demolish, denounce, destroy, detonate, detonation, devastate, din, discharge, discomfit, disconcert, discord, discountenance, discredit, dish, disrupt, do in, donnybrook, drub, drunken brawl, dry rot, dust, dustup, dynamite, elude, enfilade, entirely, erase, eruption, excommunicate, execrate, explode, explosion, fanfare, fill the air, fire, fire a volley, fire at, fire upon, fix, flap, flare, flash, flaw, flourish of trumpets, flummox, flurry, foil, fracas, free-for-all, freeze, freeze solid, freshen, frustrate, fulguration, fully, fulminate, fulminate against, fulmination, fungus, fusillade, gale, gather, get, give the business, glaciate, glacify, go off, gun down, gunshot, gust, hell broke loose, hex, hit, honk, howl, hubbub, hue and cry, huff, hullabaloo, ice, imprecate, injure, jangle, knock the chocks, lambaste, larrup, lay out, lay waste, let off, lick, load, loud noise, maximally, mildew, mine, mold, mortar, moth, moth and rust, must, nip, noise, noise and shouting, nonplus, off, open fire, open up on, outcry, overwhelm, pandemonium, payload, peal, pepper, perplex, pest, pipe, pipe up, polish off, pop, pop at, puff, quick-freeze, racket, rage, rake, rattle, rattle the windows, refreeze, regelate, rend the air, rend the ears, report, resound, rhubarb, ring, rise, roar, rock the sky, rot, row, rub out, ruckus, ruction, ruin, rumble, rumpus, rust, sabotage, salvo, scotch, scud, set in, set off, settle, shatter, shell, shellac, shindy, shivaree, shoot, shoot at, shot, shriek, shrivel, slam, slug, smash, smut, snipe, snipe at, sound, sound a tattoo, sound taps, spike, split the eardrums, split the ears, spoil, spring, squall, squeal, startle the echoes, stonewall, storm, strafe, stump, stun, stunt, surge, swell, take aim at, take care of, tantara, tantarara, taps, tarantara, tattoo, thoroughly, throw a whammy, thunder, thunder against, thunderclap, thwart, tintamarre, toot, tootle, torpedo, touch off, trumpet, trumpet blast, trumpet call, tumult, tweedle, uproar, upset, volley, waft, wallop, warhead, waste, wham, whiff, whiffle, whistle, wind, wind gust, wipe out, wither, worm, wreck, zap, zero in onROGET THESAURUS
blast
Attack
VB attack, assault, assail, invade, set upon, fall upon, charge, impugn, break a lance with, enter the lists, assume the offensive, take the offensive, be the aggressor, become the aggressor, strike the first blow, draw first blood, throw the first stone at, lift a hand against, draw the sword against, take up the cudgels, advance against, march against, march upon, harry, come on, show fight, strike at, poke at, thrust at, aim a blow at, deal a blow at, give one a blow, fetch one a blow, fetch one a kick, give one a kick, have a cut at, have a shot at, take a cut at, take a shot at, have a fling at, have a shy at, be down upon, pounce upon, fall foul of, pitch into, launch out against, bait, slap on the face, make a thrust at, make a pass at, make a set at, make a dead set at, bear down upon, close with, come to close quarters, bring to bay, ride full tilt against, attack tooth and nail, go at hammer and tongs, let fly at, dash at, run a tilt at, rush at, tilt at, run at, fly at, hawk at, have at, let out at, make a dash, make a rush at, strike home, drive one hard, press one hard, be hard upon, run down, strike at the root of, lay about one, run amuck, aim at, draw a bead on, fire upon, fire at, fire a shot at, shoot at, pop at, level at, let off a gun at, open fire, pepper, bombard, shell, pour a broadside into, fire a volley, fire red-hot shot, spring a mine, throw a stone, throw stones at, stone, lapidate, pelt, hurl at, hurl against, hurl at the head of, rock beset, besiege, beleaguer, lay siege to, invest, open the trenches, plant a battery, sap, mine, storm, board, scale the walls, cut and thrust, bayonet, butt, kick, strike, whip, assail, impugn, malign (detract), bomb, rocket, blast.Adversity
N adversity, evil, failure, bad luck, ill luck, evil luck, adverse luck, hard fortune, hard hap, hard luck, hard lot, frowns of fortune, evil dispensation, evil star, evil genius, vicissitudes of life, ups and downs of life, broken fortunes, hard case, hard lines, hard life, sea of troubles, peck of troubles, hell upon earth, slough of despond, trouble, hardship, curse, blight, blast, load, pressure, pressure of the times, iron age, evil day, time out of joint, hard times, bad times, sad times, rainy day, cloud, dark cloud, gathering clouds, ill wind, visitation, infliction, affliction, bitter pill, care, trial, the sport of fortune, mishap, mischance, misadventure, misfortune, disaster, calamity, catastrophe, accident, casualty, cross, reverse, check, contretemps, rub, backset, comedown, setback, losing game, falling, fall, downfall, ruination, ruinousness, undoing, extremity, ruin, unfortunate, unblest, unhappy, unlucky, improsperous, unprosperous, hoodooed, luckless, hapless, out of luck, in trouble, in a bad way, in an evil plight, under a cloud, clouded, ill off, badly off, in adverse circumstances, poor, behindhand, down in the world, decayed, undone, on the road to ruin, on its last legs, on the wane, in one's utmost need, planet-struck, devoted, born under an evil star, born with a wooden ladle in one's mouth, ill-fated, ill-starred, ill-omened, adverse, untoward, disastrous, calamitous, ruinous, dire, deplorable.Destruction
VB be destroyed, perish, fall to the ground, tumble, topple, go to pieces, fall to pieces, break up, crumble to dust, go to the dogs, go to the wall, go to smash, go to shivers, go to wreck, go to pot, go to wrack and ruin, go by the board, go all to smash, be all over, be all up, be all with, totter to its fall, destroy, do away with, make away with, nullify, annual, sacrifice, demolish, tear up, overturn, overthrow, overwhelm, upset, subvert, put an end to, seal the doom of, do in, do for, dish, undo, break up, cut up, break down, cut down, pull down, mow down, blow down, beat down, suppress, quash, put down, do a job on, cut short, take off, blot out, dispel, dissipate, dissolve, consume, smash, crash, quell, squash, squelch, crumple up, shatter, shiver, batter to pieces, tear to pieces, crush to pieces, cut to pieces, shake to pieces, pull to pieces, pick to pieces, laniate, nip, tear to rags, tear to tatters, crush to atoms, knock to atoms, ruin, strike out, throw over, knock down over, fell, sink, swamp, scuttle, wreck, shipwreck, engulf, ingulf, submerge, lay in ashes, lay in ruins, sweep away, erase, wipe out, expunge, raze, level with the dust, level with the ground, waste, atomize, vaporize, deal destruction, desolate, devastate, lay waste, ravage gut, disorganize, dismantle, devour, swallow up, sap, mine, blast, bomb, blow to smithereens, drop the big one, confound, exterminate, extinguish, quench, annihilate, snuff out, put out, stamp out, trample out, lay in the dust, trample in the dust, prostrate, tread under foot, crush under foot, trample under foot, lay the ax to the root of, make short work of, make clean sweep of, make mincemeat of, cut up root and branch, chop into pieces, cut into ribbons, fling to the winds, scatter to the winds, throw overboard, strike at the root of, sap the foundations of, spring a mine, blow up, ravage with fire and sword, cast to the dogs, eradicate.Violence
N violence, inclemency, vehemence, might, impetuosity, boisterousness, effervescence, ebullition, turbulence, bluster, uproar, callithump, riot, row, rumpus, le diable a quatre, devil to pay, all the fat in the fire, severity, ferocity, rage, fury, exacerbation, exasperation, malignity, fit, paroxysm, orgasm, climax, aphrodisia, force, brute force, outrage, coup de main, strain, shock, shog, spasm, convulsion, throe, hysterics, passion, outbreak, outburst, debacle, burst, bounce, dissilience, discharge, volley, explosion, blow up, blast, detonation, rush, eruption, displosion, torrent, turmoil, ferment, storm, tempest, rough weather, squall, earthquake, volcano, thunderstorm, berserk, berserker, fury, dragon, demon, tiger, beldame, Tisiphone, Megaera, Alecto, madcap, wild beast, fire eater, violent, vehement, warm, acute, sharp, rough, rude, ungentle, bluff, boisterous, wild, brusque, abrupt, waspish, impetuous, rampant, turbulent, disorderly, blustering, raging, troublous, riotous, tumultuary, tumultuous, obstreperous, uproarious, extravagant, unmitigated, ravening, inextinguishable, tameless, frenzied, desperate, infuriate, furious, outrageous, frantic, hysteric, in hysterics, fiery, flaming, scorching, hot, red-hot, ebullient, savage, fierce, ferocious, fierce as a tiger, excited, unquelled, unquenched, unextinguished, unrepressed, unbridled, unruly, headstrong, ungovernable, unappeasable, immitigable, unmitigable, uncontrollable, incontrollable, insuppressible, irrepressible, orgastic, orgasmatic, orgasmic, spasmodic, convulsive, explosive, detonating, volcanic, meteoric, stormy, violently, amain, by storm, by force, by main force, with might and main, tooth and nail, vi et armis, at the point of the sword, at the point of the bayonet, at one fell swoop, with a high hand, through thick and thin, in desperation, with a vengeance, a outrance, a toute outrance, headlong, head foremost, furor arma ministrat, blown with restless violence round about the pende.Wind
N wind, draught, flatus, afflatus, efflation, eluvium, air, breath, breath of air, puff, whiff, zephyr, blow, breeze, drift, aura, stream, current, jet stream, undercurrent, gust, blast, squall, gale, half a gale, storm, tempest, hurricane, whirlwind, tornado, samiel, cyclone, anticyclone, typhoon, simoon, simoom, harmattan, monsoon, trade wind, sirocco, mistral, bise, tramontane, levanter, capful of wind, fresh breeze, stiff breeze, keen blast, blizzard, barber, candelia, chinook, foehn, khamsin, norther, vendaval, wuther, windiness, ventosity, rough weather, dirty weather, ugly weather, stress of weather, dirty sky, mare's tail, thick squall, black squall, white squall, anemography, aerodynamics, wind gauge, weathercock, vane, weather- vane, wind sock, anemometer, anemoscope, sufflation, insufflation, perflation, inflation, afflation, blowing, fanning, ventilation, sneezing, errhine, sternutative, sternutatory, sternutation, hiccup, hiccough, catching of the breath, Eolus, Boreas, Zephyr, cave of Eolus, air pump, air blower, lungs, bellows, blowpipe, fan, ventilator, punkah, branchiae, gills, flabellum, vertilabrum, whiffle ball, blowing, windy, flatulent, breezy, gusty, squally, stormy, tempestuous, blustering, boisterous, pulmonic, pulmonary, lull'd by soft zephyrs, the storm is up and all is on the hazard, the winds were wither'd in the stagnant air, while mocking winds are piping loud, winged with red lightning and tempestuous rage.Loudness
N loudness, power, loud noise, din, blare, clang, clangor, clatter, noise, bombilation, roar, uproar, racket, hubbub, bobbery, fracas, charivari, trumpet blast, flourish of trumpets, fanfare, tintamarre, peal, swell, blast, larum, boom, bang (explosion), resonance, vociferation, hullabaloo, lungs, Stentor, artillery, cannon, thunder, loud, sonorous, high-sounding, big-sounding, deep, full, powerful, noisy, blatant, clangorous, multisonous, thundering, deafening, trumpet-tongued, ear-splitting, ear-rending, ear-deafening, piercing, obstreperous, rackety, uproarious, enough to wake the dead, enough to wake seven sleepers, shrill &c 410 clamorous stentorian, stentorophonic, loudly, aloud, at the top of one's voice, at the top of one's lungs, lustily, in full cry, the air rings with, the deep dread-bolted thunder.Snap
N snap, rapping, decrepitation, crepitation, report, thud, burst, explosion, blast, boom, discharge, detonation, firing, salvo, volley, squib, cracker, firecracker, cherry bomb, M, gun, cap, cap gun, popgun, implosion, bomb burst, atomic explosion, nuclear explosion (arms), gunpowder, dynamite, gun cotton, nitroglycerine, nitrocellulose, plastic explosive, plastique, TNT, cordite, trinitrotoluene, picric acid, picrates, mercury fulminate (arms), whack, wham, pow, rapping, Int, kaboom!, whamo!, Heewhack!, pow!.VB rap, snap, tap, knock, ping, click, clash, crack, crackle, crash, pop, slam, bang, blast, boom, clap, clang, clack, whack, wham, brustle, burst on the ear, crepitate, rump, blow up, blow, detonate.
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