blow¹ / blō/ • v. (past blew / bloō/ ; past part. blown / blōn/ ) 1. [intr.] (of wind) move creating an air current: a cold wind began to blow. ∎  [tr.] (of wind) cause to move; propel: a gust of wind blew a cloud of smoke into his face the spire was blown down during a gale. ∎  [intr.] be carried, driven, or moved by the wind or an air current: it was so windy that the tent nearly blew away. ∎  [tr.] inf. leave (a place): I'm ready to blow town. 2. [intr.] (of a person) expel air through pursed lips: Willie took a deep breath, and blew. ∎  [tr.] use one's breath to propel: he blew cigar smoke in her face. ∎  [tr.] cause to breathe hard; exhaust of breath. ∎  [tr.] (of a person) force air through the mouth into (an instrument) in order to make a sound: the umpire blew his whistle. ∎  [tr.] sound (the horn of a vehicle). ∎  [tr.] force air through a tube into (molten glass) in order to create an artifact. ∎  [tr.] remove the contents of (an egg) by forcing air through it. ∎  (of flies) lay eggs in or on something: to repel the hordes of flies that would otherwise blow on the buffalo hide. ∎  (of a whale) eject air and vapor through the blowhole.3. [tr.] (of an explosion or explosive device) displace violently or send flying: the blast had blown the windows out of the van. ∎  [intr.] (of a vehicle tire) burst suddenly while the vehicle is in motion. ∎  burst or cause to burst due to pressure or overheating: [intr.] the engines sounded as if their exhausts had blown. ∎  (of an electrical circuit) burn out or cause to burn out through overloading: [intr.] the fuse in the plug had blown. 4. [tr.] inf. spend recklessly: they blew $100,000 in just eighteen months.5. inf. completely bungle (an opportunity): the wider issues were to show that politicians had blown it. ∎  (usu. be blown) expose (a stratagem): a man whose cover was blown.6. [tr.] vulgar slang perform fellatio.• n. 1. [in sing.] a strong wind: we're in for a blow.2. an act of blowing on an instrument: a number of blows on the whistle. ∎  [in sing.] an act of blowing one's nose: give your nose a good blow. ∎  [in sing.] inf. a spell of playing jazz or rock music. ∎  (in steelmaking) an act of sending an air or oxygen blast through molten metal in a converter.3. inf. cocaine.PHRASES: be blown off course fig. (of a project) be disrupted by some circumstance.be blown out of the water fig. (of a person, idea, or project) be shown to lack all credibility.blow someone's brains out inf. kill someone with a shot in the head with a firearm.blow a gasket inf. lose one's temper.blow hot and cold vacillate.blow someone a kiss kiss the tips of one's fingers then blow across them toward someone as a gesture of affection.blow one's lid (or top or stack or cool) inf. lose one's temper.blow someone's mind inf. affect someone very strongly.blow one's nose clear one's nose of mucus by blowing forcefully through it.blow something to bits (or pieces or smithereens) use bombs or other explosives to destroy something, typically a building, completely.blow something out of proportion exaggerate the importance of something.blow up in one's face (of an action, project, or situation) go drastically wrong with damaging effects to oneself.blow with the wind be incapable of maintaining a consistent course of action.PHRASAL VERBS: blow someone away inf. 1. kill someone using a firearm.2. (be blown away) be extremely impressed: I'm blown away by his new poem.blow in inf. (of a person) arrive casually and unannounced.blow someone off inf. fail to keep an appointment with someone. ∎  end a romantic or sexual relationship with someone.blow something off inf. ignore or make light of something. ∎  fail to attend something: Ivy blew off class.blow out1. be extinguished by an air current: the candles blew out.2. (of a tire) puncture while the vehicle is in motion.3. (of an oil or gas well) emit gas suddenly and forcefully.4. (blow itself out) (of a storm) finally lose its force: fig. the recession may finally have blown itself out. blow something out1. use one's breath to extinguish a flame: he blew out the candle.2. inf. render a part of the body useless: he blew out his arm trying to snap a curveball.blow over (of trouble) fade away without serious consequences.blow up1. explode. ∎  (of a person) lose one's temper: Meg blows up at Patrick for always throwing his tea bags in the sink.2. (of a wind or storm) begin to develop. ∎  (of a scandal or dispute) emerge or become public.3. inflate: my stomach had started to blow up.blow something up1. cause something to explode.2. inflate something: a small pump for blowing up balloons. ∎  enlarge a photograph or text.blow² • n. a powerful stroke with a hand, weapon, or hard object: he received a blow to the skull. ∎  a sudden shock or disappointment: the news came as a crushing blow.PHRASES: at one blow by a single stroke; in one operation: the letter had destroyed his certainty at one blow.come to blows start fighting after a disagreement.strike a blow for (or against) act in support of (or opposition to): a chance to strike a blow for freedom.blow³ archaic or poetic/lit. • v. (past blew / bloō/ ; past part. blown / blōn/ ) [intr.] produce flowers or be in flower: I know a bank where the wild thyme blows.• n. the state or period of flowering: stocks in fragrant blow.

Blow ★★½ 2001 (R)

Memorable, visually stunning, true story of cocaine entrepreneur George Jung features, at its best, stellar performances (especially from Reubens, Cruz, and Depp), and at its worst, a “Goodfellas” meets “Traffic” familiarity. Epic follows Jung (Depp) from his humble New England beginnings through his California surfer-bum days, to his rise and fall as America's biggest cocaine pipeline of the '70s and '80s without judging him or his lifestyle, although it does tend to sympathize with his family issues with mom, dad, and his own child. 124m/C VHS, DVD . US Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Jor-di Molla, Franka Potente, Rachel Griffiths, Ray Li-otta, Ethan Suplee, Paul (Pee-wee Herman) Reubens, Max Perlich, Clifford Curtis, Miguel (Michael) Sandoval, Kevin Gage, Jesse James, Dan Ferro, Emma Roberts, Bob(cat) Goldthwait, Jaime (James) King; D: Ted (Edward) Demme; W: David McKenna, Nick Cassavetes; C: Ellen Kuras; M: Graeme Revell.

blow blow hot and cold vacillate, be sometimes enthusiastic and sometimes unenthusiastic. With reference to a fable involving a traveller who was offered hospitality by a satyr and offended his host by blowing on his cold fingers to warm them and on his hot soup to cool it.
blow the gaff reveal a plot or secret; the term is recorded from the early 19th century, but the origin is unknown.
blow the whistle on bring an illicit activity to an end by informing on the person responsible; the term whistleblower for such an informant comes (in the 1970s) from this.

blow2 (arch.) bloom, flourish. OE. str. vb. blōwan, corr. to wk. verbs OS. blōjan, OHG. bluoen (G. blühen); all f. Gmc. *blō- (Cf. BLADE, BLOOM1. BLOSSOM).

blow1 produce a current of air; puff air (into). OE. str. vb. blāwan, pt. blēow, pp. blāwen, OHG. blā(h)an, also (wk.) blāen (G. blähen blow up, swell); IE. base *bhlē-, repr. also by L. flāre.