The act of striking; more generally the stroke; a violent application of the hand, fist, or an instrument to an object.

The fatal stroke; a stroke that kills; hence.

An act of hostility; as, the nation which strikes the first blow. Hence, to come to blows, is to engage in combat, whether by individuals, armies, fleets or nations; and when by nations, it is war.

A sudden calamity; a sudden or severe evil. In like manner, plaga in Latin gives rise to the Eng. plague.

A single act; a sudden event; as, to gain or lose a province at a blow, or by one blow. At a stroke is used in like manner.

An ovum or egg deposited by a fly, on flesh or other substance, called a fly-blow.

pret. blew; pp. blown.

To make a current of air; to move as air; as, the wind blows. Often used with it; as, it blows a gale.

To pant; to puff; to breathe hard or quick. Here is Mrs. Page at the door, sweating and blowing.

To breathe; as, to blow hot and cold.

To sound with being blown, as a horn or trumpet.

To flower; to blossom; to bloom; as plants. How blows the citron grove. To blow over, to pass away without effect; to cease or be dissipated; as, the storm or the clouds are blown over. To blow up, to rise in the air; also, to be broken and scattered by the explosion of gunpowder.

é. To throw or drive a current of air upon; as, to blow the fire; also, to fan.

To drive by a current of air; to impel; as, the tempest blew the ship ashore.

To breathe upon, for the purpose of warming; as, to blow the fingers in a cold day.

To sound a wind instrument; as, blow the trumpet.

To spread by report. And through the court his courtesy was blown.

To deposit eggs, as flies.

To form bubbles by blowing.

To swell and inflate, as veal; a practice of butchers.