blast Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a very long fly ball
  2. noun a sudden very loud noise
    bam; bang; eruption; clap.
  3. noun a strong current of air
    blow; gust.
    • the tree was bent almost double by the gust
  4. noun an explosion (as of dynamite)
  5. noun a highly pleasurable or exciting experience
    good time.
    • we had a good time at the party
    • celebrating after the game was a blast
  6. noun intense adverse criticism
    fire; flack; attack; flak.
    • Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party
    • the government has come under attack
    • don't give me any flak
  7. verb make a strident sound
    blare.
    • She tended to blast when speaking into a microphone
  8. verb hit hard
    nail; smash; boom.
    • He smashed a 3-run homer
  9. verb use explosives on
    shell.
    • The enemy has been shelling us all day
  10. verb apply a draft or strong wind to to
    • the air conditioning was blasting cold air at us
  11. verb create by using explosives
    shell.
    • blast a passage through the mountain
  12. verb make with or as if with an explosion
    • blast a tunnel through the Alps
  13. verb fire a shot
    shoot.
    • the gunman blasted away
  14. verb criticize harshly or violently
    crucify; savage; pillory.
    • The press savaged the new President
    • The critics crucified the author for plagiarizing a famous passage
  15. verb shatter as if by explosion
    knock down.
  16. verb shrivel or wither or mature imperfectly

WordNet

Blast noun
Etymology
AS. blst a puff of wind, a blowing; akin to Icel. blastr, OHG. blast, and fr. a verb akin to Icel. blasa to blow, OHG. blâsan, Goth. blsan (in comp.); all prob. from the same root as E. blow. See Blow to eject air.
Definitions
  1. A violent gust of wind.
    And see where surly Winter passes off, Far to the north, and calls his ruffian blasts; His blasts obey, and quit the howling hill. Thomson.
  2. A forcible stream of air from an orifice, as from a bellows, the mouth, etc. Hence: The continuous blowing to which one charge of ore or metal is subjected in a furnace; as, to melt so many tons of iron at a blast. ✍ The terms hot blast and cold blast are employed to designate whether the current is heated or not heated before entering the furnace. A blast furnace is said to be in blast while it is in operation, and out of blast when not in use.
  3. The exhaust steam from and engine, driving a column of air out of a boiler chimney, and thus creating an intense draught through the fire; also, any draught produced by the blast.
  4. The sound made by blowing a wind instrument; strictly, the sound produces at one breath.
    One blast upon his bugle horn Were worth a thousand men. Sir W. Scott.
    The blast of triumph o'er thy grave. Bryant.
  5. A sudden, pernicious effect, as if by a noxious wind, especially on animals and plants; a blight.
    By the blast of God they perish. Job iv. 9.
    Virtue preserved from fell destruction's blast. Shak.
  6. The act of rending, or attempting to rend, heavy masses of rock, earth, etc., by the explosion of gunpowder, dynamite, etc.; also, the charge used for this purpose. "Large blasts are often used." Tomlinson.
  7. A flatulent disease of sheep.
Blast transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Blasted; present participle & verbal noun Blasting
Definitions
  1. To injure, as by a noxious wind; to cause to wither; to stop or check the growth of, and prevent from fruit-bearing, by some pernicious influence; to blight; to shrivel.
    Seven thin ears, and blasted with the east wind. Gen. xii. 6.
  2. Hence, to affect with some sudden violence, plague, calamity, or blighting influence, which destroys or causes to fail; to visit with a curse; to curse; to ruin; as, to blast pride, hopes, or character.
    I'll cross it, though it blast me. Shak.
    Blasted with excess of light. T. Gray.
  3. To confound by a loud blast or din.
    Trumpeters, With brazen din blast you the city's ear. Shak.
  4. To rend open by any explosive agent, as gunpowder, dynamite, etc.; to shatter; as, to blast rocks.
Blast intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To be blighted or withered; as, the bud blasted in the blossom.
  2. To blow; to blow on a trumpet. Obs.
    Toke his blake trumpe faste And gan to puffen and to blaste. Chaucer.

Webster 1913