Idioms for blow

Origin of blow

2
before 1000; Middle English blowen (v.), Old English blāwan; cognate with Latin flāre to blow

British Dictionary definitions for blow hot and cold (1 of 3)

blow 1
/ (bləʊ) /

verb blows, blowing, blew or blown

noun

Word Origin for blow

Old English blāwan, related to Old Norse blǣr gust of wind, Old High German blāen, Latin flāre

British Dictionary definitions for blow hot and cold (2 of 3)

blow 2
/ (bləʊ) /

noun

a powerful or heavy stroke with the fist, a weapon, etc
at one blow or at a blow by or with only one action; all at one time
a sudden setback; unfortunate event to come as a blow
come to blows
  1. to fight
  2. to result in a fight
an attacking action a blow for freedom
Australian and NZ a stroke of the shears in sheep-shearing

Word Origin for blow

C15: probably of Germanic origin; compare Old High German bliuwan to beat

British Dictionary definitions for blow hot and cold (3 of 3)

blow 3
/ (bləʊ) /

verb blows, blowing, blew or blown

(intr) (of a plant or flower) to blossom or open out
(tr) to produce (flowers)

noun

a mass of blossoms
the state or period of blossoming (esp in the phrase in full blow)

Word Origin for blow

Old English blōwan; related to Old Frisian blōia to bloom, Old High German bluoen, Latin flōs flower; see bloom 1

Cultural definitions for blow hot and cold

blow hot and cold

To change one's mind constantly about the value of something: “The administration should stop issuing such contradictory statements on taxes; they are alienating the voters by blowing hot and cold on tax reform.”

Idioms and Phrases with blow hot and cold (1 of 2)

blow hot and cold

Change one's mind, vacillate, as in Jean's been blowing hot and cold about taking a winter vacation. This expression comes from Aesop's fable (c. 570 b.c.) about a man eating with a satyr on a winter day. At first the man blew on his hands to warm them and then blew on his soup to cool it. The satyr thereupon renounced the man's friendship because he blew hot and cold out of the same mouth. The expression was repeated by many writers, most often signifying a person who could not be relied on. William Chillingworth put it: “These men can blow hot and cold out of the same mouth to serve several purposes” (The Religion of Protestants, 1638).

Idioms and Phrases with blow hot and cold (2 of 2)

blow