Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Blast
Blast
(blȧst)
, Noun.
[AS.
blǣst
a puff of wind, a blowing; akin to Icel. blāstr
, OHG. blāst
, and fr. a verb akin to Icel. blāsa
to blow, OHG. blâsan
, Goth. blēsan
(in comp.); all prob. from the same root as E. blow
. See Blow
to eject air.] 1.
A violent gust of wind.
And see where surly Winter passes off,
Far to the north, and calls his ruffian
His
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
Were worth a thousand men.
blast
upon his bugle hornWere 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
. Shakespeare
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 furnace
, a furnace, usually a shaft furnace for smelting ores, into which air is forced by pressure.
– Blast hole
, a hole in the bottom of a pump stock through which water enters.
– Blast nozzle
, a fixed or variable orifice in the delivery end of a blast pipe; – called also
– blast orifice
. In full blast
, in complete operation; in a state of great activity. See , 2.
Blast
, Noun.
[Colloq.]
Blast
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Blasted
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Blasting
.] 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 characterI'll cross it, though it
blast
me. Shakespeare
Blasted
with excess of light. T. Gray.
3.
To confound by a loud blast or din.
Trumpeters,
With brazen din
With brazen din
blast
you the city's ear. Shakespeare
4.
To rend open by any explosive agent, as gunpowder, dynamite, etc.; to shatter;
as, to
. blast
rocksBlast
,Verb.
I.
1.
To be blighted or withered;
as, the bud
. blasted
in the blossom2.
To blow; to blow on a trumpet.
[Obs.]
Toke his blake trumpe faste
And gan to puffen and to
And gan to puffen and to
blaste
. Chaucer.
Webster 1828 Edition
Blast
BL'AST
,Verb.
T.
1.
To affect with some sudden violence,plague, calamity, or destructive influence, which destroys or causes to fail; as, to blast pride or hopes. The figurative senses of this verb are taken from the blasting of plants, and all express the idea of checking growth, preventing maturity, impairing, injuring, destroying, or disappointing of the intended effect; as, to blast credit, or reputation; to blast designs.2.
To confound, or strike with force, by a loud blast or din.3.
To split rocks by an explosion of gun powder.They did not stop to blast this ore.