1. (n.) A violent gust of wind.

2. (n.) 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.

3. (n.) 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. (n.) The sound made by blowing a wind instrument; strictly, the sound produces at one breath.

5. (n.) A sudden, pernicious effect, as if by a noxious wind, especially on animals and plants; a blight.

6. (n.) 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.

7. (n.) A flatulent disease of sheep.

8. (v. t.) 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.

9. (v. t.) 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.

10. (v. t.) To confound by a loud blast or din.

11. (v. t.) To rend open by any explosive agent, as gunpowder, dynamite, etc.; to shatter; as, to blast rocks.

12. (v. i.) To be blighted or withered; as, the bud blasted in the blossom.

13. (v. i.) To blow; to blow on a trumpet.

27. (n.) A suffix or terminal formative, used principally in biological terms, and signifying growth, formation; as, bioblast, epiblast, mesoblast, etc.