blowed: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low to Very LowInformal / Colloquial / Dialectal / Archaic / Exclamatory
Quick answer
What does “blowed” mean?
Past tense or past participle of 'blow' in nonstandard or dialectal usage, primarily meaning to move air or to be moved by air, or to explode.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Past tense or past participle of 'blow' in nonstandard or dialectal usage, primarily meaning to move air or to be moved by air, or to explode.
In informal speech, used as a mild oath or expression of frustration or surprise (e.g., "Well, I'll be blowed!"). Also used in the context of squandering money (e.g., "He blowed all his savings").
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The exclamation "Well, I'll be blowed!" is primarily British, though understood in American English but considered archaic. The use of "blowed" as a verb form is found in some regional British dialects (e.g., "The wind blowed hard") but is virtually absent in standard American speech.
Connotations
In British English, it carries a colloquial, sometimes rustic or working-class connotation. In the exclamation, it's a dated, mild substitute for a stronger oath. In American English, any use outside of reproducing historical or dialect speech sounds markedly nonstandard or comical.
Frequency
Extremely low in formal contexts. The exclamation is rare even in informal British English today.
Grammar
How to Use “blowed” in a Sentence
[Subject] blowed [Object] (transitive, nonstandard)[Subject] be blowed (exclamative, fixed phrase)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “blowed” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He blowed on his soup to cool it down.
- The old tree was blowed over in the storm last night.
American English
- (Rare, dialectal) In the story, the character said, "I blowed the dust off the old book."
adverb
British English
- (Not used as a standard adverb)
American English
- (Not used as a standard adverb)
adjective
British English
- (Not used as a standard adjective)
American English
- (Not used as a standard adjective)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used. A standard report would state "The budget was blown," not "blowed."
Academic
Not used, except as a linguistic example of nonstandard morphology.
Everyday
Limited to very informal, potentially humorous, or deliberately archaic usage, primarily in fixed phrases.
Technical
Not applicable.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “blowed”
- Using 'blowed' as the standard past participle (e.g., *'I have blowed up the balloon' instead of 'I have blown up the balloon').
- Overusing the exclamation 'I'll be blowed' in modern contexts where it sounds unnatural.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'blowed' is not the standard past tense or past participle of 'blow.' The standard forms are 'blew' (past tense) and 'blown' (past participle). 'Blowed' is considered nonstandard, dialectal, or archaic.
It's an old-fashioned, mild British exclamation of surprise, astonishment, or disbelief, similar to 'Well, I'll be damned!' or 'Good heavens!'
No, you should avoid using 'blowed' in any formal writing, including essays. Always use the standard forms 'blew' and 'blown.' The only exception would be if you are directly quoting dialect speech.
It is a historical variant and a form of regularization (adding -ed to a strong/irregular verb). It persists in some regional dialects of the UK and in fixed expressions. It is an example of language variation.
Past tense or past participle of 'blow' in nonstandard or dialectal usage, primarily meaning to move air or to be moved by air, or to explode.
Blowed is usually informal / colloquial / dialectal / archaic / exclamatory in register.
Blowed: in British English it is pronounced /bləʊd/, and in American English it is pronounced /bloʊd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Well, I'll be blowed!”
- “Blowed if I know/care”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
"When the wind BLOWED, the seeds it SOWED." (Rhymes with 'sowed' to remember its nonstandard past form, contrasting with standard 'blew' which rhymes with 'flew').
Conceptual Metaphor
BLOWING IS EXPRESSING EMOTION/IMPACT (as in 'blow up' in anger, 'blow a fuse'); BLOWING IS DESTRUCTION/DISPERSAL (as in 'blow apart', 'blow one's chances').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'blowed' MOST likely to be acceptable?