blow over: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral to informal
Quick answer
What does “blow over” mean?
Of a storm or bad weather: to cease, to pass away. Of a problem, scandal, or strong emotion: to subside, to be forgotten or resolved without serious consequences.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Of a storm or bad weather: to cease, to pass away. Of a problem, scandal, or strong emotion: to subside, to be forgotten or resolved without serious consequences.
Can refer to the ending of any temporary, difficult, or turbulent situation, such as an argument, crisis, or period of public outrage, often implying the passage of time naturally resolves it.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. More frequent in UK English for describing weather clearing. Both use it metaphorically.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more common in British corpora, but widely understood and used in both.
Grammar
How to Use “blow over” in a Sentence
Subject (storm/scandal) + blow overIt + will/might + blow overVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “blow over” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The gale should blow over by nightfall.
- The media scandal blew over within a fortnight.
- I'm sure his cross mood will blow over soon.
American English
- The thunderstorm will blow over in an hour.
- The political controversy finally blew over.
- Don't react; just let the criticism blow over.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
A minor PR crisis or market fluctuation is expected to blow over quickly.
Academic
The scholarly debate over the methodology eventually blew over.
Everyday
Don't worry about the argument; it'll blow over by tomorrow.
Technical
The system error was temporary and blew over after a reboot.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “blow over”
- Using it transitively (e.g., *'We blew over the argument').
- Confusing with 'blow up' (to explode).
- Using it for permanent solutions (e.g., *'The war finally blew over').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is neutral but more common in spoken and informal written English. In very formal writing, synonyms like 'subside' or 'be resolved' might be preferred.
No, it is typically used for negative or turbulent situations (storms, arguments, scandals) that end. You wouldn't say a celebration 'blew over'.
They are similar. 'Blow over' often implies a more active, turbulent period that ends, and is especially metaphorical. 'Pass' is more general and neutral for the end of any period.
It can imply either, but often suggests the passage of time reduces its intensity or importance, sometimes without a formal solution. The key is it no longer causes trouble.
Of a storm or bad weather: to cease, to pass away. Of a problem, scandal, or strong emotion: to subside, to be forgotten or resolved without serious consequences.
Blow over: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbləʊ ˈəʊ.və/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbloʊ ˈoʊ.vɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Wait for the storm to blow over.”
- “It'll all blow over.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a dark cloud literally blowing over your house and moving away, leaving calm skies. Problems often do the same.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PROBLEM IS A STORM / STRONG EMOTION IS WIND. Just as a storm passes, so do difficulties and intense feelings.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'blow over' LEAST appropriate?