blast

Multiple Entries:
  blast    -blast  

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
blast /blɑːst/

▶noun

• 1 a destructive wave of highly compressed air spreading outwards from an explosion.

• 2 a strong gust of wind or air.

  ■ a strong current of air used in smelting.

• 3 a single loud note of a horn or whistle.

• 4 informal a severe reprimand.

• 5 N. Amer. informal an enjoyable experience or lively party.

▶verb

• 1 blow up or break apart with explosives.

• 2 (blast off) (of a rocket or spacecraft) take off from a launching site.

• 3 produce loud continuous music or noise.

• 4 informal criticize fiercely.

• 5 kick or strike (a ball) hard.

• 6 literary (of wind) wither or shrivel (a plant).

• 7 strike with divine anger (used as a curse): damn and blast this awful place!

▶exclamation informal expressing annoyance.

– phrases
(at) full blast at maximum power or intensity.

– derivatives
blaster noun.

– origin OE blǣst, of Gmc origin; rel. to blaze3.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
-blast/blast/

▶combining form Biology denoting an embryonic cell or tissue: erythroblast. Compare with -cyte.

– origin from Gk blastos ‘germ, sprout’.