blow

blow

1. verb To leave, usually hastily. The train is coming soon—time to blow. Come on, man, we've gotta blow before the police get here! Let's blow, this place is totally dull.

2. verb To squander, spoil, or ruin something. I can't believe you didn't go to the job interview. Why would you blow such a big opportunity? Oh man, I definitely blew it with Gabi this time—I said some horrible things to her. I can't believe I blew the driving test again. I just get so nervous behind the wheel!

3. verb To spend one's money excessively or irresponsibly. I can't believe I blew so much money at the mall today. At least I get paid next week. Don't blow all of your allowance on candy, OK? He's never been very responsible, so I'm not surprised he's blown his inheritance already.

4. verb To react furiously or violently, to the point of losing control of one's behavior. Mom totally blew when I told her I had failed math. Don't blow, it's just a tiny scratch on the car. Oh man, the boss is gonna blow when he hears we've lost that big client.

5. verb To play a musical instrument, typically a wind instrument. I heard Al blows a mean sax. A: "I thought you said she played an instrument." B: "Yeah, she blows a serious recorder!" A: "Hmm." Who on earth is blowing a trumpet at this ungodly hour?

6. verb, slang To take a drug by snorting it. Those two must have blown in the bathroom because they definitely seem high now. I'm not interested in blowing anything, thanks. Got a blotter instead? Back in the 80s, it seemed like everyone was blowing something in club bathrooms.

7. verb, slang To smoke marijuana. Jim reeks of weed, so he must have been blowing earlier. I think those kids out in the park are blowing. Doesn't it look like they're passing a joint back and forth? I could tell by their glassy eyes and goofy demeanor that they'd been blowing again.

8. verb, vulgar slang To perform oral sex on a male. Ew, I can't believe he thought you would blow him on your first date! College boys are such jerks. Even if you blow them, they never call you again.

9. noun A problem, challenge, or setback. After losing the lead in the division, the team suffered another blow when their best player got injured in practice. Do you think the program will be able to continue? Losing so much funding is a really big blow. Finding out I'm that far behind in the polls was certainly a blow, but it's nothing I can't overcome!

10. noun A big, elaborate party, typically marked by the consumption of alcohol. Man, I am so hung-over today—that was quite a blow last night. Good, the cops just showed up. They'll break up that raucous blow once and for all! Come on, we need to have one last blow before we graduate from college!

11. noun, slang Cocaine. Hey, got any blow? I'm looking for a good time tonight. Is it true that she used to be addicted to blow? Yo, Jeff scored a bunch of blow. Gonna have a wild party tonight!

puff and blow

1. To breathe very heavily or laboriously. Running to catch the bus has left me puffing and blowing. You really should quit smoking—look at how you're puffing and blowing after a single flight of stairs!

2. To make an exaggerated show of one's anger, often by making empty threats. The boss likes to puff and blow when things don't go right, but don't pay too much attention to him. My parents puffed and blew when I told them I was dropping out, but in the end they came to respect my decision.

See also: and, blow, puff

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

blow something

Sl. to ruin or waste something. I had a chance to do it, but I blew it. He blew the whole five dollars on candy.

blown (up)

Sl. intoxicated. I guess I'm a little too blown up to drive.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

blow

1. tv. & in. to leave (someplace) in a hurry. (see also blow town, blow the joint.) It’s late. I gotta blow.

2. tv. to ruin something; to ruin an opportunity. It was my last chance, and I blew it.

3. n. a setback; an attack. Acme Systems Industries suffered a blow to its plans to acquire ABC Steel Widgets.

4. tv. to waste money; to spend money. Mary blew forty bucks on a secondhand radio.

5. in. to become very angry; to lose one’s temper. (see also blow a fuse.) Finally I had had enough, and I blew.

6. in. to play a musical instrument, not necessarily a wind instrument. He blows, and everybody listens.

7. and blow-out n. a drinking party. What a blow over at Joe’s. I’ll never get sober. We blew out of the blow-out at about midnight.

8. tv. to snort any powdered drug; to take snuff. (Drugs.) Those guys spend all their time blowing coke.

9. in. to smoke marijuana. (Drugs.) He sits there blowing by the hour. How can he afford it?

10. n. cocaine. (Drugs.) You can get some good blow over at that crack house.

11. tv. to perform an act of oral sex on someone, especially males. (Usually objectionable.) Tom was looking for some bone addict who would blow him for nothing.

blown

verb

See blown away

blown

verb

See blown out

blown

verb

See blown up

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

blow

/break open

To get a sudden, insurmountable lead in (an athletic contest).

blow

/toot (one's) own horn Informal

To brag or boast about oneself.

blow (one's)

top/stack Informal

To lose one's temper.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.