blow-comb: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
High (A2/B1)Broad, from everyday informal to technical (e.g., metallurgy: blow a fuse). Many phrasal verbs (blow up, blow out, blow over) are common.
Quick answer
What does “blow-comb” mean?
To cause air to move.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To cause air to move; to hit or strike forcefully; to fail spectacularly.
A verb with a wide range of literal and figurative uses, from the movement of air (wind blows) and breath (blow a kiss), to destruction (blow up), to failure (the deal blew up), to spending recklessly (blow money). Also a noun meaning a hard hit.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor. 'Blow' as slang for 'leave' ('Let's blow this joint') is slightly more AmE. 'Blow' as coarse slang for cocaine is universal but informal. The idiom 'blow one's own trumpet' (BrE) vs. 'toot one's own horn' (AmE).
Connotations
Similar core connotations. 'Blow' meaning to mishandle or ruin (e.g., 'blow your chance') is equally common. The noun 'blower' for telephone is BrE slang.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both dialects.
Grammar
How to Use “blow-comb” in a Sentence
SV (The wind blows.)SVOA (She blew the dust off the shelf.)SVO (He blew the whistle.)SVOC (The explosion blew the door open.)SVOprepA (They blew £500 on a meal.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “blow-comb” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- A gale began to blow across the moors.
- Don't blow all your savings on one holiday.
- The tyre might blow if the pressure is too high.
American English
- The wind blows hard off the lake in winter.
- He blew his chance at a promotion by being late.
- The engine blew a gasket, and smoke was everywhere.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial form. 'Blowingly' is non-standard/poetic.
American English
- No standard adverbial form.
adjective
British English
- Not typically used as a true adjective. Participle 'blown' used adjectivally: 'blown glass', 'a blown fuse'.
American English
- Same as British. 'Blown' as adjective: 'blown insulation', 'a blown call' (sports umpiring error).
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
'The merger blew up at the last minute.' 'The scandal blew the company's reputation.'
Academic
'The hypothesis was blown apart by new evidence.' (metaphorical)
Everyday
'Can you blow on your soup? It's hot.' 'I blew £20 on lottery tickets.'
Technical
'The furnace is used to blow glass.' 'A short circuit can blow a fuse.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “blow-comb”
- *I blew on the birthday cake. (Correct: I blew OUT the candles.)
- *The storm was blowing strongly. (Better: The wind was blowing strongly / The storm was raging.)
- *He received a strong blow on his back. (Better: He received a heavy/severe blow to his back.)
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is irregular: blow - blew - blown.
Yes, but it's very informal/slang. E.g., 'It's boring here, let's blow.'
They are often synonyms. 'Blow up' can be transitive ('They blew up the bridge') or intransitive ('The bridge blew up'). 'Explode' is similarly used but can sound slightly more formal or technical.
It means a hard hit (physical or metaphorical). E.g., 'He was knocked out by a single blow.' 'Losing the funding was a major blow to the project.'
To cause air to move.
Blow-comb is usually broad, from everyday informal to technical (e.g., metallurgy: blow a fuse). many phrasal verbs (blow up, blow out, blow over) are common. in register.
Blow-comb: in British English it is pronounced /bləʊ/, and in American English it is pronounced /bloʊ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “blow hot and cold”
- “blow your own trumpet”
- “blow the lid off something”
- “blow someone's mind”
- “blow a gasket”
- “blow over”
- “come to blows”
- “strike a blow for”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BLOWing wind - it moves air powerfully and can knock things over, just like the verb's meanings of moving air and causing destruction.
Conceptual Metaphor
FAILURE IS EXPLOSIVE DESTRUCTION ('The deal blew up.'); WASTING RESOURCES IS DISSIPATING AIR ('He blew his inheritance.'); REVEALING SECRETS IS RELEASING PRESSURE ('She blew the whistle.').
Practice
Quiz
What does 'blow your top' mean?