BLOW, n. This probably is a contracted word, and the primary sense must be, to strike, thrust, push, or throw, that is, to drive. I have not found it in the cognate dialects. If g or other palatal letter is lost, it corresponds in elements with the L.plaga
fligo Eng.flog.
1. The act of striking more generally the stroke a violent application of the hand, fist, or an instrument to an object.
2. The fatal stroke a stroke that kills hence, death.
3. An act of hostility as, the nation which strikes the first blow. Hence, to come to blows, is to engage in combat, whether by individuals, armies, fleets or nations and when by nations, it is war.
4. A sudden calamity a sudden or severe evil. In like manner, plaga in Latin gives rise to the Eng. plague.
5. A single act a sudden event as, to gain or lose a province at a blow, or by one blow.
At a stroke is used in like manner.
6. An ovum or egg deposited by a fly, on flesh or other substance, called a fly-blow.
BLOW, pret. blew pp.blown. L.flo, to blow. This word probably is from the same root as bloom, blossom, blow, a flower.
1. To make a current of air to move as air as, the wind blows. Often used with it as, it blows a gale.
2. To pant to puff to breathe hard or quick.
Here is Mrs. Page at the door, sweating and blowing.
3. To breathe as, to blow hot and cold.
4. To sound with being blown, as a horn or trumpet.
5. To flower to blossom to bloom as plants.
How blows the citron grove.
To blow over, to pass away without effect to cease or be dissipated as, the storm or the clouds are blown over.
To blow up, to rise in the air also, to be broken and scattered by the explosion of gunpowder.
BLOW, To throw or drive a current of air upon as, to blow the fire also, to fan.
1. To drive by a current of air to impel as, the tempest blew the ship ashore.
2. To breathe upon, for the purpose of warming as, to blow the fingers in a cold day.
3. To sound a wind instrument as, blow the trumpet.
4. To spread by report.
And through the court his courtesy was blown.
5. To deposit eggs, as flies.
6. To form bubbles by blowing.
7. To swell and inflate, as veal a practice of butchers.
8. To form glass into a particular shape by the breath, as in glass manufactories.
9. To melt tin, after being first burnt to destroy the mundic.
To blow away, to dissipate to scatter with wind.
To blow down, to prostrate by wind.
To blow off, to shave down by wind, as to blow off fruit from trees to drive from land, as to blow off a ship.
To blow out, to extinguish by a current of air, as a candle.
To blow up,to fill with air to swell as, to blow up a bladder or a bubble.
10. To inflate to puff up as, to blow up one with flattery.
11. To kindle as, to blow up a contention.
12. To burst, to raise into the air,or to scatter, by the explosion of gunpowder. Figuratively, to scatter or bring to naught suddenly as, to blow up a scheme.
To blow upon, to make stale as, to blow upon an author's works.
BLOW, n. A flower a blossom. This word is in general use in the U. States, and legitimate. In the Tatler, it is used for blossoms in general, as we use blowth.
1. Among seamen, a gale of wind. This also is a legitimate word, in general use in the U. States.