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to blow

to blow

151 7.7
To talk proudly about achievements to make others admire you
  • verb
  • /bloʊ/
  • Informal
translation icon : presumir
  • I don't usually like to blow my own horn, but I did achieve a lot this year.

So I'm not just I'm not just I don't like blowing my own trumpet.

Examples

  • She loves to blow about her accomplishments during her presentations.

  • All in all, please blow your own strengths.

  • I hate to blow my own horn.

  • Not that she was ever one to blow her own trumpet, but he could see it in her eyes.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • "Well, hell, I don't like to blow my own trumpet --"

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Okay, Diane, I think you're blowing this out of proportion.

  • When he starts to blow about his new car, I can hardly get a word in.

Synonyms

to brag
vsto blow
191 2.7

To talk in a proud way about yourself or what you have

is more informal and often negative in tone
to boast
vsto blow
96 3.1

To talk proudly about your achievements to impress people

is more informal and used in casual speech
to tout
vsto blow
65 6.1

To praise or advertise something strongly to make people want it

is personal informal prideful talk rather than forceful promotion
to talk big
vsto blow
  • Informal
8 7.8

To say you are more important or successful than you really are

can express pride without strong exaggeration
to bluster
vsto blow
5 6.8

To speak loudly to try to impress or scare others while having little effect

is mainly prideful talk without the loud aggression or threats
to puff
vsto blow
4 7.0

To act or speak in a proud, boastful way

focuses on talking rather than acting or behaving proudly
1 7.8

To talk proudly about your own abilities or achievements

is a shorter, more casual expression used in speech
to vaunt
vsto blow
  • Archaic
1 8.9

To talk proudly about your achievements to show off

is used for self focused pride rather than praising things ostentatiously
1 8.1

To act as if you are better than other people

is mainly spoken pride rather than general superior behaviour
to shoot a line
vsto blow
  • Australian
9.6

To say proud things to make yourself seem better than you are

does not always imply exaggeration, focusing on prideful talk
6.2

To talk too proudly about yourself or what you have done

is often less extreme and not always exaggerated
to gasconade
vsto blow
  • Archaic
9.9

To talk about yourself to show you are more important

is more informal and less ornate or extravagant in style

Antonyms

18 5.2

To make something seem smaller or less important than it really is

Idioms

50 6.2

To surprise someone a lot and make them feel excited

To beat someone or something completely by a lot

8 4.7

Make bad news or a loss easier to accept

4 6.8

To surprise and beat someone or something by a large amount

To seriously damage an idea or reputation

2 8.6

Suddenly get very angry and show it

1 8.4

To change your feelings or opinion often and without warning

to blow a fuse
  • Informal
1 7.4

To suddenly become very angry

To leave a place quickly because you do not want to be there

To talk proudly about your own abilities or achievements

1 7.2

To do much better than people expect

to suck and blow
  • Informal
1 9.9

To try to do two opposite things at the same time

to blow one's load
  • Offensive
9.9

Informal and rude way to use up all your energy or resources at once

8.0

To suddenly become very angry

9.9

To spend all your money at once

Make a fire burn hotter by blowing air on hot coals

8.8

To make someone very impressed or be much better than something

To take action that supports justice

Phrasal Verbs

534 2.7

To cause something to explode violently

to blow off
  • Informal
103 7.0

To not attend or take part in something you should, often to do something else instead

52 3.6

To become less serious or be forgotten over time

50 2.4

Stop a flame by breathing on it

39 5.6

To become detached and carried away by a strong force

To tell the authorities or the public about wrongdoing

to blow up
  • Texting
26 3.4

To become very popular quickly, often online

to blow out
  • Specialized
26 4.1

Stop working because of too much electricity or heat

23 2.7

To fill something with air or gas until it gets larger

Air that moves quickly through a room or open window

to blow up
  • Informal
16 4.7

To suddenly become very angry and lose control

14 3.5

Do something active, like go for a run, to feel less angry or stressed

to blow smoke
  • Informal
11 9.0

Say things that are not true to make people believe you

to blow a chance
  • Informal
8 4.9

Miss a good opportunity by making a mistake

to blow the lid off
  • Literature
8 6.8

Reveal secret information that shocks people

to blow out
  • Specialized
7 8.1

Burst open and send out oil, gas, or water

7 2.7

To swell or become larger suddenly

7 2.8

To dry hair with a hair dryer to style it

6 9.9

Throw up forcefully when you feel very sick

4 3.7

To make something seem more important or bigger than it is

To touch your lips with one hand then move that hand toward someone to show love

to blow town
  • Informal
2 9.8

To leave a place quickly to avoid trouble

2 4.3

To add more details to an idea or story

1 3.4

To make a photo or picture larger so people can see it

1 6.5

Tell a secret and spoil a planned surprise

To make a small round pocket of air in soapy water by puffing with your mouth

A plan or action that fails suddenly and causes big problems for the person who planned it

1 8.2

To disappear completely because of neglect or bad weather

to blow wide open
  • Literature
1 6.5

To make a secret suddenly become known

to blow savings
  • Informal
1 6.9

To spend saved money quickly on things you do not need

Make someone have bad back pain from lifting something heavy

to blow back out
  • Informal
8.5

To hurt your back badly by lifting or moving something heavy

To make small round balls of air by pushing air through gum in your mouth

Compounds

11 2.7

A small handheld electric device that blows warm air to dry and style hair

low blow
  • Offensive
8 5.5

A remark or action that unfairly hurts someone's feelings

blow-by-blow
  • Literature
5 7.4

A detailed step-by-step description of an event as it happens

Joe Blow
  • Informal
2 4.8

A person who is like most everyday people

2 7.3

A sudden event that causes great harm or shock to plans and feelings

1 7.2

A large fly with a shiny blue-green body that lays eggs on dead animals and in wounds

by-blow
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A child whose parents are not married to each other

blow gas
  • Specialized
8.8

Gas released from a generator during maintenance or venting

blow molding machine
  • Specialized
6.3

A machine that makes hollow plastic items like bottles by heating plastic and using air to shape it

blow tube
  • Specialized
8.2

A tube that sends air into a flame to make it hotter

8.4

A tube like a straw that sends small darts when someone blows into it

A machine that makes hollow plastic items like bottles by using air to push heated plastic into a mold

How Boastful

to blow
  • Informal
151 7.7
to boast
96 3.1
to flaunt
62 5.7
to show off
  • Informal
216 3.2

Surface Forms

blow infinitive
blowing present participle
blows third person singular
blew past
blown past participle

Etymology

The informal verb blow meaning 'to boast' comes from the idea of sounding a horn: to 'blow your own horn' makes noise to show off. So when someone 'blows' about their success, they make a loud display like a horn blast.