blas

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Blasphemed p. pr. & vb. n. Blaspheming. ] [ OE. blasfemēn, L. blasphemare, fr. Gr. blasfhmei^n: cf. F. blasphémer. See Blame, v. ] 1. To speak of, or address, with impious irreverence; to revile impiously (anything sacred); as, to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. [ 1913 Webster ]

So Dagon shall be magnified, and God,
Besides whom is no god, compared with idols,
Disglorified, blasphemed, and had in scorn. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge thyself on all those who thus continually blaspheme thy great and all-glorious name? Dr. W. Beveridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Figuratively, of persons and things not religiously sacred, but held in high honor: To calumniate; to revile; to abuse. [ 1913 Webster ]

You do blaspheme the good in mocking me. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Those who from our labors heap their board,
Blaspheme their feeder and forget their lord. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To utter blasphemy. [ 1913 Webster ]

He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness. Mark iii. 29. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who blasphemes. [ 1913 Webster ]

And each blasphemer quite escape the rod,
Because the insult's not on man, but God ? Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. blasphemus, Gr. &unr_;. ] Speaking or writing blasphemy; uttering or exhibiting anything impiously irreverent; profane; as, a blasphemous person; containing blasphemy; as, a blasphemous book; a blasphemous caricature. “Blasphemous publications.” Porteus. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nor from the Holy One of Heaven
Refrained his tongue blasphemous. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Formerly this word was accented on the second syllable, as in the above example. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a blasphemous manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. blasphemia, Gr. &unr_;: cf. OF. blasphemie. ] 1. An indignity offered to God in words, writing, or signs; impiously irreverent words or signs addressed to, or used in reference to, God; speaking evil of God; also, the act of claiming the attributes or prerogatives of deity. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ When used generally in statutes or at common law, blasphemy is the use of irreverent words or signs in reference to the Supreme Being in such a way as to produce scandal or provoke violence. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Figuratively, of things held in high honor: Calumny; abuse; vilification. [ 1913 Webster ]

Punished for his blasphemy against learning. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. bl&aemacr_;st a puff of wind, a blowing; akin to Icel. blāstr, OHG. blāst, and fr. a verb akin to Icel. blāsa to blow, OHG. blâsan, Goth. blēsan (in comp.); all prob. from the same root as E. blow. See Blow to eject air. ] 1. A violent gust of wind. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The sound made by blowing a wind instrument; strictly, the sound produces at one breath. [ 1913 Webster ]

One blast upon his bugle horn
Were worth a thousand men. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

The blast of triumph o'er thy grave. Bryant. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A sudden, pernicious effect, as if by a noxious wind, especially on animals and plants; a blight. [ 1913 Webster ]

By the blast of God they perish. Job iv. 9. [ 1913 Webster ]

Virtue preserved from fell destruction's blast. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. A flatulent disease of sheep. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Blasted; p. pr. & vb. n. Blasting. ] 1. To injure, as by a noxious wind; to cause to wither; to stop or check the growth of, and prevent from fruit-bearing, by some pernicious influence; to blight; to shrivel. [ 1913 Webster ]

Seven thin ears, and blasted with the east wind. Gen. xii. 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

I'll cross it, though it blast me. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Blasted with excess of light. T. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To confound by a loud blast or din. [ 1913 Webster ]

Trumpeters,
With brazen din blast you the city's ear. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To rend open by any explosive agent, as gunpowder, dynamite, etc.; to shatter; as, to blast rocks. [ 1913 Webster ]