Blast — Defs

01 n. A violent gust of wind.

1.
A violent gust of wind.
“And see where surly Winter passes off, Far to the north, and calls his ruffian blasts; His blasts obey, and quit the howling hill.” — Thomson.
2.
A forcible stream of air from an orifice, as from a bellows, the mouth, etc. Hence: The continuous blowing to which one charge of ore or metal is subjected in a furnace; as, to melt so many tons of iron at a blast.
3.
The exhaust steam from and engine, driving a column of air out of a boiler chimney, and thus creating an intense draught through the fire; also, any draught produced by the blast.
4.
The sound made by blowing a wind instrument; strictly, the sound produces at one breath.
“One blast upon his bugle horn Were worth a thousand men.” — Sir W. Scott.

“The blast of triumph o'er thy grave.” — Bryant.
5.
A sudden, pernicious effect, as if by a noxious wind, especially on animals and plants; a blight.
“By the blast of God they perish.” — Job iv. 9.

“Virtue preserved from fell destruction's blast.” — Shak.
6.
The act of rending, or attempting to rend, heavy masses of rock, earth, etc., by the explosion of gunpowder, dynamite, etc.; also, the charge used for this purpose.
7.
A flatulent disease of sheep.

Phrases & compounds

Blast furnace — a furnace, usually a shaft furnace for smelting ores, into which air is forced by pressure.

Blast hole — a hole in the bottom of a pump stock through which water enters.

Blast nozzle — a fixed or variable orifice in the delivery end of a blast pipe; -- called also blast orifice.

In full blast — in complete operation; in a state of great activity. See Blast, n., 2.

02 v. t. To injure, as by a noxious wind; to cause to wither; to stop or check the growth of, and prevent from fruit-bearing, by some pernicious inf…

imp. & p. p. Blasted; p. pr. & vb. n. Blasting

1.
To injure, as by a noxious wind; to cause to wither; to stop or check the growth of, and prevent from fruit-bearing, by some pernicious influence; to blight; to shrivel.
“Seven thin ears, and blasted with the east wind.” — Gen. xii. 6.
2.
Hence, to affect with some sudden violence, plague, calamity, or blighting influence, which destroys or causes to fail; to visit with a curse; to curse; to ruin; as, to blast pride, hopes, or character.
“I'll cross it, though it blast me.” — Shak.

“Blasted with excess of light.” — T. Gray.
3.
To confound by a loud blast or din.
“Trumpeters, With brazen din blast you the city's ear.” — Shak.
4.
To rend open by any explosive agent, as gunpowder, dynamite, etc.; to shatter; as, to blast rocks.

03 v. i. To be blighted or withered; as, the bud blasted in the blossom.

1.
To be blighted or withered; as, the bud blasted in the blossom.
2.
To blow; to blow on a trumpet.[Obs.]
“Toke his blake trumpe faste And gan to puffen and to blaste.” — Chaucer.