blast

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

Also spelled blarsted

US /blæst/ UK /blɑːst/ See IPA manual

Freq #2923

Meanings

1

verb
To break or destroy something using explosives.

Workers blasted a tunnel through the mountain.
2

verb
To send out air, sound, or water with great force.

The air conditioning was blasting cold air at us.
3

verb
To criticize someone or something very strongly.

Newspapers blasted the government for its decision.
4

verb
To fire a gun or shoot at something.

The hunter blasted away at the targets.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Multiword verbs with blast

blast off Phrasal verb B2

to launch or rise with great force, especially at the start of a rocket flight

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to break or destroy... shell

3 verb · to criticize someone or... savage pillory

4 verb · to fire a gun or shoot at... shoot

Word family

Forms blastedblastingblasts

Derived forms airblastantiblastass-blastbackblastbeblastblast-offblastableblastawayblasterblastholeblastissimoblastment

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

blast furnace
a large furnace that uses a strong flow of air to extract iron from ore

Noun + noun
blast off
launch or rise with great force, especially at the start of a rocket flight

Verb + adverb

Simplified etymology

Blast is recorded in Old English and belongs to a group of Germanic words, including blow and bluster, that seem to reflect the sounds involved.

Etymology

From Middle English blast, blest, from Old English blǣst (“blowing, blast”), from Proto-West Germanic *blāstu, from Proto-Germanic *blēstuz (“blowing, blast”). Cognate with West Frisian blast (“blast”), dialectal Dutch blast (“stubborn intent, drumming”), obsolete German Blast (“wind, blowing”), German blasen (“to blow”), Dutch blazen (“to blow”), Danish blæst (“wind”), French blaser (“to blunt, dull”). More at blow.

*bʰleh₁- Proto-Indo-European blast Middle English blǣst Old English *blāstu Proto-West Germanic *blēstuz Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# blast

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /blæst/
**IPA (UK):** /blɑːst/
**Frequency rank:** 2923

## Meanings
1. To break or destroy something using explosives.
2. To send out air, sound, or water with great force.
3. To criticize someone or something very strongly.
4. To fire a gun or shoot at something.

## Examples
- Workers blasted a tunnel through the mountain.
- The air conditioning was blasting cold air at us.
- Newspapers blasted the government for its decision.
- The hunter blasted away at the targets.

## Derived Forms
- airblast
- antiblast
- ass-blast
- backblast
- beblast
- blast-off
- blastable
- blastaway
- blaster
- blasthole
- blastissimo
- blastment

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *bʰleh₁-
- Root: blast
- Root: blǣst
- Root: *blāstu
- Root: *blēstuz

## Etymology
From Middle English blast, blest, from Old English blǣst (“blowing, blast”), from Proto-West Germanic *blāstu, from Proto-Germanic *blēstuz (“blowing, blast”). Cognate with West Frisian blast (“blast”), dialectal Dutch blast (“stubborn intent, drumming”), obsolete German Blast (“wind, blowing”), German blasen (“to blow”), Dutch blazen (“to blow”), Danish blæst (“wind”), French blaser (“to blunt, dull”). More at blow.

## AI Etymology
Blast comes from Middle English blast, blest, from Old English blǣst (“blowing, blast”), from Proto-West Germanic *blāstu, from Proto-Germanic *blēstuz (“blowing, blast”). Cognate with West Frisian blast (“blast”), dialectal Dutch blast (“stubborn intent, drumming”), obsolete German Blast (“wind, blowing”), German blasen (“to blow”), Dutch blazen (“to blow”), Danish blæst (“wind”), French blaser (“to blunt, dull”). More at blow.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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