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to blow

to blow

9 7.7
To talk proudly about achievements to make others admire you
  • verb
  • /bloʊ/
  • Informal
: 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
240 2.7

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

is more informal and often negative in tone
to tout
vsto blow
111 6.1

To praise or advertise something strongly to make people want it

is personal informal prideful talk rather than forceful promotion
to boast
vsto blow
94 3.1

To talk proudly about your achievements to impress people

is more informal and used in casual speech
to puff
vsto blow
24 7.0

To act or speak in a proud, boastful way

focuses on talking rather than acting or behaving proudly
to vaunt
vsto blow
  • Archaic
17 8.9

To talk proudly about your achievements to show off

is used for self focused pride rather than praising things ostentatiously
to talk big
vsto blow
  • Informal
11 7.8

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

can express pride without strong exaggeration
to bluster
vsto blow
7 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 gasconade
vsto blow
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To talk about yourself to show you are more important

is more informal and less ornate or extravagant in style
7.8

To talk proudly about your own abilities or achievements

is a shorter, more casual expression used in speech
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
8.1

To act as if you are better than other people

is mainly spoken pride rather than general superior behaviour

Antonyms

18 5.2

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

Idioms

27 6.2

To surprise someone a lot and make them feel excited

To beat someone or something completely by a lot

To seriously damage an idea or reputation

9 4.7

Make bad news or a loss easier to accept

to blow a fuse
  • Informal
6 7.4

To suddenly become very angry

2 7.2

To do much better than people expect

2 6.8

To surprise and beat someone or something by a large amount

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

1 8.4

To change your feelings or opinion often and without warning

To take action that supports justice

Make a fire burn hotter by blowing air on hot coals

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

8.6

Suddenly get very angry and show it

8.0

To suddenly become very angry

To talk proudly about your own abilities or achievements

9.9

To spend all your money at once

8.8

To make someone very impressed or be much better than something

Phrasal Verbs

804 2.7

To cause something to explode violently

189 5.6

To become detached and carried away by a strong force

to blow off
  • Informal
174 7.0

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

to blow up
  • Informal
66 4.7

To suddenly become very angry and lose control

64 2.4

Stop a flame by breathing on it

53 3.6

To become less serious or be forgotten over time

to blow out
  • Specialized
53 4.1

Stop working because of too much electricity or heat

To tell the authorities or the public about wrongdoing

Air that moves quickly through a room or open window

34 2.7

To fill something with air or gas until it gets larger

31 3.5

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

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

to blow smoke
  • Informal
24 9.0

Say things that are not true to make people believe you

to blow up
  • Texting
19 3.4

To become very popular quickly, often online

15 2.8

To dry hair with a hair dryer to style it

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

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

to blow out
  • Specialized
11 8.1

Burst open and send out oil, gas, or water

10 3.4

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

to blow wide open
  • Literature
8 6.5

To make a secret suddenly become known

to blow the lid off
  • Literature
8 6.8

Reveal secret information that shocks people

7 9.9

Throw up forcefully when you feel very sick

7 3.7

To make something seem more important or bigger than it is

7 2.7

To swell or become larger suddenly

to blow town
  • Informal
4 9.8

To leave a place quickly to avoid trouble

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

to blow savings
  • Informal
2 6.9

To spend saved money quickly on things you do not need

2 8.2

To disappear completely because of neglect or bad weather

2 6.5

Tell a secret and spoil a planned surprise

to blow a chance
  • Informal
1 4.9

Miss a good opportunity by making a mistake

to blow back out
  • Informal
1 8.5

To hurt your back badly by lifting or moving something heavy

Make someone have bad back pain from lifting something heavy

1 4.3

To add more details to an idea or story

Compounds

13 2.7

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

low blow
  • Offensive
13 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

5 7.3

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

Joe Blow
  • Informal
4 4.8

A person who is like most everyday people

1 7.2

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

1 8.4

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

by-blow
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A child whose parents are not married to each other

blow tube
  • Specialized
1 8.2

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

blow gas
  • Specialized
1 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

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

How Boastful

to blow
  • Informal
9 7.7
to boast
94 3.1
to flaunt
60 5.7
to show off
  • Informal
269 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.