Blow-

in comb.

  For convenience of reference all the combinations are treated here, although those under 3, certainly, and 2, apparently, are formed from the verb.

  1.  With adverbs, denoting actions; as blow-down, a gust of wind and smoke down a chimney; blow-out, an outbreak of anger, a quarrel; also, a ‘good feed,’ feast, entertainment (slang); blow-up, an explosion; fig. a disturbance, a quarrel.

1884.  Health Exhib. Catal., 52/1. Chimney Can for curing a *blow-down.

1826.  Scott, in Lockhart (1839), IX. 44. At dinner we had a little *blow-out on Sophia’s part.

1840.  R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, xxvi. 87. They had a grand blow-out, and … drank in the forecastle, a barrel of gin.

1856.  F. E. Paget, Owlet of Owlst., 174. Such a jolly blow-out as there was when the Bishop was here.

1813.  Ld. Castlereagh, Lett., in Sir R. Wilson, Priv. Diary (1861), II. 201. W. and he must not have any connexion together or there will be a *blow up.

1834.  J. Wilson, Noct. Ambr. (1864), IV. 133. O’Connell and Littleton had a blow-up and abused each other like pickpockets.

  2.  With sb., qualified by blow- (the verb-stem) in sense of ‘blowing,’ or ‘that blows’ or ‘is blown,’ as blow-ball, the globular seeding head of the dandelion and allied plants; also fig.; blow-cock, a cock or tap by which to blow off steam; blow-george (see quot.); blow-gun = BLOW-PIPE 2; blow-line (Angling), a fishing line of the lightest floss silk, used with the living fly, so web-like as to allow the wind to blow it out over the stream; blow-post, a system of conveying letters and parcels by pneumatic tubes; blow-tube = BLOW-PIPE 2; also a tube used in glass-blowing; blow-valve, the shifting valve of a condensing engine; blow-well (see quot.) Also BLOW-HOLE, BLOW-PIPE.

1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, V. xvi. 568. Condrilla hath … double flowers; the whiche past, they turne into rounde *blowballes, like to fine downe or cotton.

1640.  Shirley, Imposture, IV. ii. I’m your blow-ball, Your breath dissolves my being.

a. 1670.  Hacket, Abp. Williams, II. (1692), 90. Shake him from his stalk, like a downy blow-ball.

1885.  Standard, 28 May, 6/3. Joint of blowcock of boiler gave way.

1871.  Trans. Amer. Inst. Mining Eng., I. 303. Ventilated in the driving by a *‘blow george’ (hand-fan).

1864.  Athenæum, No. 1929. 504/2. The *blow-gun, thro’ which short poisoned arrows are propelled by the breath.

1857.  Kingsley, Two Y. Ago, I. Introd. p. xxxi. (D.). Great anglers … who could do many things besides handling a *blow-line.

1867.  F. Francis, Angling (1876), 260. Having baited the hook as in blow-line fishing.

1881.  Daily News, 8 Nov., 5/5. A writer … advocates the extension of the *‘blow-post.’

1885.  Pall Mall Gaz., 5 March, 4/1. In Paris the blow post is being steadily developed.

1871.  Tylor, Prim. Cult., i. 60. Nearly the same may be said of the *blow-tube.

1854.  N. & Q., Ser. I. IX. 283/1. Natural springs in the northern slope of the Chalk in Lincolnshire … called *blow-wells, which may be considered as naturally Artesian.

  3.  With sb., which is the object after blow (in the sense of ‘one who blows’), as blow-bottle, blow-bowl, a habitual drinker, tippler, sot (cf. BLOW v.¹ 31); † blow-coal (fig.), one who stirs up or promotes strife (cf. BLOW v.¹ 17 b); † blow-point, a game (see quot. 1801).

1580.  Baret, Alv., A 270. A common haunter of alehouses … an aleknight: a tipler … a *blowbottell.

1530.  Palsgr., 199/1. *Blowbole, yuroigne.

1622.  H. Sydenham, Serm. Sol. Occ. (1637), 262. These are … the common *blow-coales in Ecclesiastick tumults.

1580.  Sidney, Arcadia, II. 224. How shepheards spend their days At *blow-point, hot cockles, or else at keeles.

1640.  Shirley, Hum. Courtier, V. iii. Do not trust the Archduke: he cozened me at blow-point.

1801.  Strutt, Sports & Past., IV. iv. (1876), 513. Blow-point was probably blowing an arrow through a trunk at certain numbers by way of lottery.