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.
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.
Note: The terms hot blast and cold blast are employed to
designate whether the current is heated or not heated
before entering the furnace. A blast furnace is said to
be in blast while it is in operation, and out of blast
when not in use.
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.
``Large blasts are often used.'' --Tomlinson.
7. A flatulent disease of sheep.
{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. [Colloq.]
2. To blow; to blow on a trumpet. [Obs.]
Toke his blake trumpe faste And gan to puffen and to
blaste. --Chaucer.