Middle English Dictionary Entry
blast n.
Entry Info
| Forms | blast n. Also blest, blaast. |
| Etymology | OE blǣst |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
The blowing (of wind); esp., a sharp or sudden gust (of wind); windes ~, wind-blast; winter-blast, wintry blast.
Associated quotations
- c1225 Mirie it is (Rwl G.22)3 : Nu necheð windes blast and w[e]der strong.
- ?c1335 Lollai lollai (Hrl 913)27 : Deþ ssal com wiþ a blast..adam-is kin dun to cast.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1069 : The Schip with sodein blast..is overcast.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)159b/a : By stronge blestes of wyndes þe water is more ymeuede.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)213a/a : Þat tyme fruyt falliþ wiþ litil schakyng, as wiþ a strong blast or a puf of wynd [L venti impulsu].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24847 : Þar bleu on þaim mani brem blast, þair mast it raf and cordes brast.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1387 : Reed that boweth down for every blast, Ful lightly, cesse wynd, it wol aryse.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)685 : Þis es þe leef..Þat es blawen away thurgh a wynd blaste.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)1943 : His lyf is noght bot als a wynd blast.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)12438 : When he fel, he gaf a lasche As wyþ a blast had falle an asche.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)50.769 : As it hadde ben A wyndes blast, These two Men thider Comen In hast.
- a1450 Thynk man qwerof (Sln 2593)p.241 : After cam a wyndes blast That made many a man agast.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)153/59 : Byttyr blastys þat gyn blowyn.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)15a : A Blast of Wynde: flabrum, flatus, flamen, flatilis.
- a1500(c1450) Idley Instr.(Arun 20)2.S.305 : To mak þem a covert Off howsyng ffor stormys and wynter blastys.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)33/355 : Many wynd blast ffull sharp.
- a1500 Methodius(3) (Stw 953)437 : Þan cusdro wolde no lenger blyn, but fel up-on þem as a blaste.
2a.
(a) The expulsion or blowing (of breath); breath, a puff of breath; drauen ~, to breathe; blouen out ending-blast, breathe (one's) last, die; (b) breath (of life), spirit, soul; lives ~.
Associated quotations
a
- a1250 Ancr.(Tit D.18:Hall)71/144 fn. : Blast [Nero: his [the devil's] blowinge ne geineð nout].
- c1300 SLeg.Brendan (LdMisc 108)410 : Brenninde fom out of is mouth after heom he caste; Þat water was herre þane heore schip bi-fore hoem at eche blaste.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.223 : A lanterne brennynge alway, þat no man couthe quenche wiþ blast [Higd.(2): þro blawenge; L flatu] noþer wiþ water.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)207b/a : Glas fongeþ..dyuers..schappes by blast of þe glasiere [L ad flatum artificis].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)282b/a : He [dragon] bloweþ oute contagious blastes..þer of comeþ pestilence yueles.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)323b/b : A worm þat sleeþ wiþ blast and wiþ sight [L flatu et visu].
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)2968 : Þurgh blast of mouþe þe fyre wyl brenne.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)47 : Þan he [a mad dog] bloweþ a gret blast wiþ his nose.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)52/20 : Blastes out of his mouth he blew.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)62a : Spiramen: a blaste.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)1790 : Unneth he myght draw his blaste [Auch: fnast].
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)p.179 : Ȝef a man be blowyn with a foul spiritus or a false blast, þat he loke lyk a mesel in his face.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)4.131 : In Cecile..blew he oute his endyng blast.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)130/35 : An edder or a dragon the whiche..with his blaste fowly corrumpid and fowlyd the eyre.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)196/24 : The hede [of John the Baptist] ȝaf hire a blaste in hire visage that sche dyede.
b
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)95/20 : Spiraculum uite, þat is ðe blast of liue.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)201 : God..blew ðor-in a liues blast, A liknesse of his hali gast, A spirit ful of wit and sckil.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Dan.5.23 : God that hath thi blast [L flatum] and alle thi weies in his hond.
2b.
The expulsion of wind, a loud fart.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.371 : And caste hym to make a lawe to excuse alle þat byhynde leet goo any blaast [L flatum retro emittentibus].
- a1475 Friar & B.(Brog 2.1)p.52 : Sche lete goo a blaste, That sche mad hem alle agaste.
3a.
Utterance of words, a verbal blast; declaration (of doctrines).
Associated quotations
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)203/25 : Loki þane mouþ uram uoule wordes..uor be zuych blest [Vices & V.(2): þurgh suche blowynge]..is ofte aquyked þet uer of lecherie.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.11.36 : The seed of soth..is awaked and excited by the wyndes and by the blastes of doctrine [L uentilante doctrina].
- c1475(1459) Pros.Yorkists in EHR 26 (Roy 17.D.15)514 : Ye..amonge your presumptuous blastes toke none..shame to uther such langage that longeth more for a soverain unto his subget than unto you.
3b.
(a) The blowing (of a trumpet, etc.); the blast or call (of a bugle, etc.); blouen ~, sound a blast or hunting call; (b) at one ~, in unison, simultaneously; (c) a 'company' (of hunters).
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)19926 : Þa Arður com to burhȝe, þa wes bemene blæst.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)541 : Ðanne remen he alle a rem so hornes blast.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)3521 : Ðis for-frigted folc..Herden ðat dredful beames blast.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)6728 : Þe wisest hunt folweþ fast, Huweþ & gredeþ wiþ gret blast.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)334a/a : Armonia of organes þat comeþ of blaste [L ex flatu] whan certein instrumentis beþ craftiliche ymade and dueliche yblowe.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Magd.(Phys-E)p.19 : On day ofe dom, Quen we sal ris thoru blast of bem.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22711 : Þan sal be herd þe blast o beme, þe demester sal cum to deme.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1783 : Þenne ran þay in on a res..Blastes out of bryȝt brasse brestes so hyȝe.
- c1400 Who-so loueth endeles (Sim)57 : When Gabriel schal blowe his blast.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)4614 : Iche buerne to be boune at the blast of a trumpe.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)682/33 : All the blastis that longed to all maner of game: fyrste to the uncoupelynge, to the sekynge, to the fyndynge, to the rechace, to the flyght, to the deth, and to strake; and many other blastis and termys.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)152/19 : Ȝe mynstrell of myrth, blowe up a good blast!
- a1475 Heart & Eye(3) (Lngl 258)13 : The huntes for to sewe, Whiche in thair hornes many blastes blewe.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)609 : For bugelys blaste & brachys crye.
b
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2487 : Hure hornes þai gunne þo to blowe ful many at one blaste.
c
- a1450 Terms Assoc.(1) (Rwl D.328)604 : A blaste of huntres.
4a.
(a) The expulsion of fiery breath, fiery breath; (b) a blazing flame or fire; also fig.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)1538 : Wiþ strengþe of his blast Þe white [dragon] brent þan rede.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Deut.8.15 : In the which was serpent thurȝ blast [L flatu] brennynge.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)207a/b : Glas is ymade of axen of trees..wiþ ful strong blast of fuyre [L per..ignis conflagrationem].
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)593 : Arestotle..was a plaunchere [read: blaunchere] of the best, thurgh blaste of his fyre.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)161/12 : Ryȝt as a blest fure ouercomyþe and dryueþe away þe fure of layte, ryȝt soo þe fure of tongys of þe Holy Gost schuld dryue away..þe fure of hell.
4b.
(a) A flash or stroke of lightning; a crash or clap (of thunder); thonder-blast; (b) a blow or stroke.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)585 : Ȝwane þe wynd and þat fuyr smiteth þoruȝ þe watur-cloude..And smit ase it were a dunt oþur blast of grete miȝte.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18075 : A steuen als thoner blast.
- c1485(?a1400) Child Bristow (Hrl 2382)236 : Þer cam a blast of lightnynge & dunder..As al þe place on fire had be.
- a1500(?a1375) Hermit & O.(Add 22577)102 : Wyth thundyr blast, wynde, and reyne.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38:Vietor)1641 : Strekyn downe Wyth a thonder blaste.
b
- ?a1300 Sayings St.Bern.(Dgb 86)762/36 : If þat fend..þe haueþ I-cast..Stond, ne fal namore adoun For a luytel blast!
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.365 : For her breme blastis buffettis henten.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. blast.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Terms Assoc.(3) (Lamb 306)234 : A Blast of hvnters.
Note: New sense: 'As term of association'