be blasted to smithereens
To be blown up or broken apart into tiny, fragmentary pieces. "Smithereens," first appearing in English in 1829 as "smiddereens," is likely derived from the Irish word "smidirín" or "smidiríní," meaning "fragment." I wish I could still go visit our old family home, but it's already been blasted to smithereens by the demolition crew. The village was blasted to smithereens by the typhoon's gale-force winds. The gunpowder stored below somehow ignited, and the entire ship was blasted to smithereens.
blast away
1. To be extremely loud. If Grandma's TV is blasting away, gently remind her to put in her hearing aids. There's always this one car that drives by the neighborhood at night blasting away heavy metal music. Why does his music have to be blasting away at all hours of the day and night?
2. To vehemently criticize someone or something. The senator's disgusted constituents blasted away at him during the town hall meeting. Well, you've also made a lot of mistakes in your life. When do I get to blast away at you, huh? What is his platform, though? I only ever hear him blasting away at his opponent.
blast off
1. To shoot upward from the ground, as of a rocket. The rocket blasted off successfully and is now headed for the moon. My kids love blasting off toy rockets in the back yard and seeing how high they'll go. We're going to Cape Canaveral with the hope of watching a NASA rocket blast off!
2. To ignite an exploding device, such as fireworks. Our poor dog is hiding under the bed because our neighbors celebrate the Fourth of July by blasting off tons of fireworks. Come on, there is no need to blast off that many fireworks in this small residential neighborhood. Run before the bomb blasts off!
3. To use an explosion to destroy or remove something. After the emergency crew blasted off some rocks, they were able to free the trapped hikers from the cave. I wish I could still go visit our old family home, but it's already been blasted to kingdom come by the demolition crew. The gunpowder somehow ignited and blasted off that whole section of the ship.
4. To amputate by means of an explosion. I'm really worried my fool husband is going to blast off a hand while playing with those fireworks! Hey, you're going to blast off a finger if you aren't careful! I bet some soldiers blasted off their limbs trying to fire these cannons back in the day.
5. To depart very quickly. The robbers blasted off when they heard the approaching sirens. I blasted off to the store for cleaning supplies when I heard that my mother-in-law was coming to town. Kids blasted off in every direction when they realized the cops were coming.
6. To strike with a lot of force in order to remove something, as with a pressure washer or sandblaster. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "blast" and "off." The sidewalk looks so clean this morning! I guess someone from the township blasted all the stains off of it. We can blast off that graffiti with the pressure washer. Be careful using a power washer to blast the algae off your deck—you don't want to mess up the wood.
blast off for (somewhere)
To depart very quickly. The robbers blasted off for the sunset when they heard the approaching sirens. I blasted off for cleaning supplies when I heard that my mother-in-law was coming to town. When I heard they'd gotten engaged, I blasted off to the store for some celebratory champagne.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
blast off
(for some place) 1. [for a space vehicle] to take off and head toward a destination. The rocket blasted off for the moon. Will it blast off on time?
2. Sl. [for someone] to leave for a destination quickly. Ann blasted off for the library so she could study. I've got to blast off. It's late.
blast (something) off (something else)
to remove something from something else with a powerful charge, pressure, or force. They blasted the writing off the wall with a stream of sand. We will have to blast the paint off the wall.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
blast off
1. Also, blast away. Take off or be launched, especially into space, as in They're scheduled to blast off on Tuesday. This usage originated with the development of powerful rockets, spacecraft, and astronauts, to all of which it was applied. [c. 1950]
2. Depart, clear out, as in This party's over; let's blast off now. [Slang; early 1950s]
3. Become excited or high, especially from using drugs, as in They give parties where people blast off. [Slang; c. 1960]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.