blowing: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral to informal; specific technical uses in glassblowing (technical) and meteorology (formal).
Quick answer
What does “blowing” mean?
The act of moving air, breath, or a current of gas from the mouth or with a device.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The act of moving air, breath, or a current of gas from the mouth or with a device.
Can refer to the process of forming glass or bubblegum by air, the action of wind, the playing of a wind instrument, the expulsion or dispersal of something by air, the failure of a fuse or tire, the exposing of a secret, or the abrupt departure of a person.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The idiom 'blowing one's top' is slightly more common in AmE. The phrase 'blowing a gasket' (losing temper) is AmE, while BrE might use 'blowing a fuse' metaphorically.
Connotations
Similar in both varieties. 'Blowing' money is slightly more informal/colloquial.
Frequency
Equally common. The specific collocation 'blowing up' (calling someone) is almost exclusively BrE informal.
Grammar
How to Use “blowing” in a Sentence
[SUBJ] + be + blowing (intransitive)[SUBJ] + be + blowing + [OBJ] (transitive)[SUBJ] + be + blowing + [OBJ] + [PARTICLE] (e.g., away, out, up)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “blowing” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The wind is blowing a hooley out there.
- He's blowing up his mate on the phone.
American English
- The wind is blowing like crazy out there.
- He's blowing off steam at the gym.
adjective
British English
- We faced blowing snow on the moor.
- The blowing sand got in everything.
American English
- Driving conditions were poor with blowing snow.
- The blowing dust reduced visibility.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Possible in 'blowing the budget' (exceeding it) or 'blowing a deal' (ruining it).
Academic
In meteorology ('the wind was blowing from the west') or musicology ('the technique of blowing into the instrument').
Everyday
Very common for weather, personal actions (blowing nose, blowing on hot food), and informal situations (blowing a secret).
Technical
Specific to glassblowing, metalworking (fan blowing), or IT ('blowing a fuse' in electronics).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “blowing”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “blowing”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “blowing”
- *I was blowing the guitar. (Incorrect for playing; correct: I was playing the guitar.)
- *She is blowing a picture. (Incorrect for enlarging; correct: She is blowing up a picture.)
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Mostly, but it has metaphorical extensions like 'blowing money' (spending wastefully), 'blowing a fuse' (electrical failure or losing temper), and 'blowing a secret' (revealing).
'Blow up' means to explode, inflate, or enlarge (a photo). 'Blow out' means to extinguish (a candle/flame), to burst (a tire), or to defeat decisively in sports.
Yes, but only for wind instruments (trumpet, flute). For string or percussion instruments, use 'playing'.
No, it's an idiom meaning to be inconsistent or changeable in one's opinions or enthusiasm.
The act of moving air, breath, or a current of gas from the mouth or with a device.
Blowing is usually neutral to informal; specific technical uses in glassblowing (technical) and meteorology (formal). in register.
Blowing: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbləʊɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbloʊɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “blowing hot and cold”
- “blowing your own trumpet”
- “blowing the whistle (on someone/something)”
- “blowing a fuse/gasket”
- “the wind is blowing from a different direction (figurative)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a blue wing (sounds like 'blow-ing') flapping and creating a blowing wind.
Conceptual Metaphor
REVEALING IS BLOWING AWAY A COVER (blow the whistle, blow the lid off). DESTROYING/EXAGGERATING IS INFLATING UNTIL BURST (blow up, blow out of proportion). WASTING IS DISPERSING LIKE AIR (blow money).
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'blowing' NOT mean expelling air?