blow
UK: bləʊ | US: bloʊ
v. to produce an air current
v. to explode or burst suddenly
n. a hard hit with a hand or object
n. a sudden misfortune or setback
The word "blow" originates from Old English blāwan, meaning "to move air, breathe, or inflate." Its Proto-Germanic root blǣ- reflects the sound and action of blowing. Over time, the word expanded semantically to include explosive forces ("blow up") and metaphorical impacts ("a blow to morale"). The noun form for "a hit" likely arose from the forceful motion of striking, akin to a gust of wind.
The wind began to blow fiercely during the storm.
He accidentally blew the fuse while fixing the circuit.
She delivered a sharp blow to the punching bag.
The news of the layoff was a severe blow to the team.
Blow on the soup to cool it down.