blown

IPA/bləʊn/
KK[blˈon]IPA/bloʊn/

blown — verb

  • blownpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • blowns3rd person singular
  • blowning-ing form
  • blownedpast simple

1. the completed verb form of blow, used after have or be.

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveA2
Definition

the completed verb form of blow, used after have or be.

Example

By dawn, the storm had blown half the apples off the tree.

perfect tense: have + blown

Red dust was blown into the hall when the side door opened.

passive: be + blown + into

Common collocations
  • had blown away
  • was blown into
  • had blown through
  • was blown by

Grammar Patterns

have + blown

be + blown

Usage Note

Used with 'have' in perfect tenses and with 'be' in passive clauses. Distinguish it from the adjective sense under adjective/1, where 'blown' describes a person's physical state.

Common Mistakes

The leaves have blow away.
The leaves have blown away.
after 'have', use the participle, not the base verb.
The whistle was blow by the coach.
The whistle was blown by the coach.
passive 'be' also takes the participle.

blown — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

'Blown' in this informal sense is close to 'winded', 'out of breath', 'breathless', and 'exhausted', but they are not identical. 'Blown' is colloquial and often suggests that someone has used up energy quickly, especially after running or climbing. 'Winded' is the nearest everyday synonym and points most directly to trouble breathing after effort. 'Out of breath' is the plainest and most neutral expression. 'Breathless' can mean the same thing, but it also often describes excitement, fear, or suspense. 'Exhausted' is broader and usually stronger: you can be exhausted without struggling to breathe right then. After the hill sprint, Tariq was blown; after a twelve-hour shift, he was exhausted.

blown ↗winded ↗out of breath ↗breathless ↗exhausted ↗

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Blown comes from the Old English verb 'blawan', meaning to move air or breathe out. It developed as the past participle form of 'blow' and still appears in patterns such as 'had blown' and 'was blown'. Later, English also began to use this participle as an adjective in some contexts, including the informal sense meaning 'out of breath'.