What is blow? Pronunciation and usage in English

blow means . Learn how to pronounce and use blow through vivid examples and easy-to-understand exercises.

Definition & pronunciation of blow

blowverb

/bləʊ/
Definition & pronunciation of blow

Okay, let's break down how to pronounce "blow" in English. There are actually two main pronunciations, depending on whether it's a verb (an action) or a noun (a thing).

1. "Blow" as a Verb (to push with air):

  • Pronunciation: /bləʊ/ (rhymes with "toe")
  • Breakdown:
    • 'b': Pronounced like the 'b' in "ball."
    • 'l': Pronounced like the 'l' in "light."
    • 'o': This is the tricky part. The vowel sound is similar to the 'o' in "go," but it's more rounded and softer. Imagine you're stretching your lips as if you're saying "oo." It's a diphthong – a combination of two vowel sounds.

2. "Blow" as a Noun (a gust of air):

  • Pronunciation: /bloʊ/ (rhymes with "low")
  • Breakdown:
    • 'b': Pronounced like the 'b' in "ball."
    • 'l': Pronounced like the 'l' in "light."
    • 'o': Same as above - a rounded, soft 'o' sound like "go." Again, a diphthong.

Tips for getting the 'o' sound right:

  • Think of "go" but softer: Don't make the 'o' as strong as in "go." It should be more relaxed and open.
  • Practice saying "oo" and then releasing the sound: Start with the "oo" sound, and then let your mouth shape change slightly to create the 'o' in "blow."

Resources for Hearing the Pronunciation:

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  • Are you trying to pronounce "blow" as a verb or a noun?

Usage and examples with the word blow in English

Let's break down how to use the word "blow" in English! It's a surprisingly versatile word with many different meanings and usages. Here's a categorized breakdown with examples:

1. As a Verb (Movement of Air)

  • To move air forcefully: This is the most common meaning.
    • “A strong wind blew the leaves off the trees.”
    • “The hurricane blew across the coast.”
    • “He blew out the candles on his birthday cake.”
  • To expel air:
    • “He blew his nose.”
    • “She blew into the microphone.”

2. As a Verb (To Destroy or Ruin)

  • To damage or ruin something:
    • “The explosion blew the building apart.”
    • “The criticism blew his confidence.”
    • “His lies blew his reputation to smithereens.” (idiomatic - very damaging)

3. As a Verb (To Express Strong Emotion)

  • To speak passionately or forcefully:
    • “She blew her mind about her plans.” (said with enthusiasm)
    • “He blew his frustrations off in a rant.”
    • “She blew him a kiss.” (a romantic gesture)

4. As a Verb (To Smoke – Cigarettes, etc.)

  • To smoke: (less common now, but still used)
    • “He blew a smoke ring.”

5. As a Verb (To Reveal or Disclose)

  • To reveal or disclose information:
    • “The leak blew the secret to the press.”
    • “The evidence blew the case open.”

6. As a Noun (A Wave of Air)

  • A sudden gust of wind:
    • “We felt a blow from the storm.”
    • “The boat took a heavy blow.” (meaning a strong impact)

7. As a Noun (A Telegraph Wire)

  • A telegraph wire: (archaic/historical)
    • “The telegraph blow went down.”

8. Idiomatic Expressions

  • "Blow over": To pass off or disappear. “The scandal will blow over soon.”
  • "Blow your own horn": To brag about yourself. “Don’t blow your own horn; everyone knows you did a great job.”
  • "Blow away": To overwhelm or astonish. “Her performance blew me away!”
  • "Blow a fuse": To get angry. “He blew a fuse when he saw the spilled milk.”
  • "Blow something out of the water": To outperform or surpass something. “Her sales figures blew the competition out of the water.”

Tips for Using "Blow" Correctly

  • Context is key: The meaning of “blow” will almost always be clear from the surrounding words.
  • Consider the intensity: “Blow” can be used for gentle breezes or destructive forces.
  • Pay attention to spelling: “Blow” (move air) is different from “blow up” (inflate) or “blow off” (cancel).

Resources for Further Learning:

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Synonyms for the word blow

Idioms of the word blow

blow your/somebody’s brains out
to kill yourself/somebody by shooting yourself/them in the head
  • He put a gun to his head and threatened to blow his brains out.
  • While cleaning his shotgun he had accidentally blown his own brains out.
blow chunks
(North American English, slang)to vomit
    blow/clear the cobwebs away
    to help somebody have a fresh, lively state of mind again
    • A brisk walk should blow the cobwebs away.
    blow a fuse
    (informal)to get very angry
      blow the gaff (on somebody/something)
      (British English, informal)to tell something secret, especially by mistake
        blow hot and cold (about something)
        (informal)to change your opinion about something often
          blow your mind
          (informal)to produce a very strong feeling of pleasure or shock
          • Wait till you hear this. It'll blow your mind.
          • a collection of photographs that will blow your mind
          blow/let off steam
          (informal)to get rid of your energy, anger or strong emotions by doing something active or noisy
          • I went for a long walk to let off steam.
          • I like blowing off steam and I like saying things that shock people.
          blow somebody/something out of the water
          to destroy somebody/something completely
            to show that somebody/something is not good by being very much better than it/them
            • I like my old phone, but this new model blows it out of the water.
            blow your own trumpet
            (informal)to praise your own abilities and achievements
              blow smoke (up somebody’s ass)
              (North American English, offensive, slang)to try to trick somebody or lie to somebody, particularly by saying something is better than it really is
                blow/knock somebody’s socks off
                (informal)to surprise or impress somebody very much
                  blow that for a lark
                  (British English, slang)used by somebody who does not want to do something because it involves too much effort
                  • Sod that for a lark! I'm not doing any more tonight.
                  blow somebody/something to bits/pieces
                  to use bombs or other weapons to destroy somebody/something completely
                  • The plane was blown to pieces when the bomb exploded.
                  blow somebody/something to kingdom come
                  (informal)to completely destroy somebody/something with an explosion
                  • The truck was blown to kingdom come.
                  blow your top
                  (informal)to get very angry
                    blow up in somebody’s face
                    if a plan, etc. blows up in your face, it goes badly wrong in a way that causes you damage or makes you feel embarrassed
                      blow the whistle on somebody/something
                      (informal)to tell somebody in authority about something wrong or illegal that somebody is doing
                        it’s an ill wind (that blows nobody any good)
                        (saying)no problem is so bad that it does not bring some advantage to somebody
                          lift the lid on something | take/blow the lid off something
                          to tell people unpleasant facts about something
                          • Her article lifts the lid on bullying in the workplace.
                          puff and blow
                          to breathe quickly and loudly through your mouth after physical effort
                          • Eventually, puffing and blowing, he arrived at the gate.
                          see which way the wind is blowing
                          to get an idea of what is likely to happen before deciding what to do

                            Practice with vocabulary blow

                            Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

                            1. The strong wind will _____ the leaves off the trees before winter.
                            2. She decided to _____ out the candles on her birthday cake.
                            3. After the argument, he needed to _____ some steam by going for a run.
                            4. The storm caused the roof to _____ down, leaving the house in ruins.

                            Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

                            1. What word best describes the action of moving air forcefully?
                              A) Blow B) Push C) Lift D) Melt

                            2. Which of the following can be used to describe someone losing their temper?
                              A) Explode B) Blow C) Shout D) Whisper

                            3. What happens when air moves quickly through a small space?
                              A) It blows B) It flows C) It glows D) It slows

                            4. What word means to destroy something with an explosion?
                              A) Crack B) Blow up C) Shatter D) Collapse

                            5. Which of the following is NOT related to air movement?
                              A) Blow B) Drift C) Float D) Freeze

                            Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

                            1. The wind caused the papers on the desk to scatter everywhere.
                            2. He was so angry that he lost control of his emotions.
                            3. The storm destroyed the old barn completely.

                            Answer

                            Exercise 1:

                            1. blow
                            2. blow
                            3. blow
                            4. collapse

                            Exercise 2:

                            1. A) Blow
                            2. B) Blow
                            3. A) It blows
                            4. B) Blow up
                            5. D) Freeze

                            Exercise 3:

                            1. The wind blew the papers on the desk everywhere.
                            2. He was so angry that he blew his top.
                            3. The storm knocked down the old barn completely.

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