What Does โBlow sth awayโ Mean?
โBlow sth awayโ means to impress someone greatly or to physically move something by strong wind or force. It is a common phrasal verb with both figurative and literal uses.
Introduction to the Phrasal Verb Blow sth away
The phrasal verb blow sth away has two main meanings. First, it means to surprise or impress someone so much that they feel amazed or overwhelmed. For example, a performance can blow an audience away with its quality. Second, it refers to physically moving or scattering something using strong wind or air. For instance, the wind can blow leaves away from the garden. Understanding the blow sth away meaning helps learners use it correctly in different situations, whether describing emotions or physical actions. This phrase is useful in everyday English and adds color to your expressions.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: blow something away
- Type: transitive (requires an object)
- Level: B1 (Intermediate)
- Short meaning: impress deeply or move something by strong wind
Structure (Grammar Rules)
โBlow sth awayโ is a separable phrasal verb. This means you can place the object between โblowโ and โawayโ or after โaway.โ
- blow something away
- blow away something
Examples:
- They blew the dust away.
- They blew away the dust.
Both forms are correct, but placing the object between the verb and particle is more common.
Examples
- The magicianโs tricks blew the audience away.
- A strong wind blew the papers away from the table.
- Her singing performance really blew me away.
- The storm blew away the old roof tiles.
- That movieโs special effects blew everyone away.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: The wind blow away the leaves.
- Correct: The wind blew away the leaves.
- Incorrect: She blowed me away with her story.
- Correct: She blew me away with her story.
Remember, the past tense of โblowโ is โblew,โ not โblowed.โ
Differences / Synonyms
Blow sth away can be compared with similar phrasal verbs like blow sth off and blow sth up.
- Blow sth off: to ignore or skip something (e.g., blow off a meeting).
- Blow sth up: to explode or inflate something.
- Blow sth away: to impress strongly or to move something with wind.
Unlike โblow offโ or โblow up,โ โblow awayโ focuses on amazement or physical movement by wind.
Common Collocations
- Blow the leaves away
- Blow the dust away
- Blow the competition away
- Blow someone away (impress)
- Blow the roof away (figurative for great excitement)
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of blow sth away:
Real-life Dialogue
Anna: Did you see the concert last night?
Ben: Yes! The band blew me away with their energy.
Anna: I know, right? The crowd was really excited.
Ben: Also, the wind blew the flyers away while we were waiting outside.
Anna: That storm was strong! It literally blew everything away.
Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of โblow awayโ:
- The strong wind ______ the trash off the street yesterday.
- Her speech ______ the entire audience ______.
- Donโt forget, the past tense of โblowโ is ______.
Answers: blew, blew โฆ away, blew
FAQs
- Q: Can โblow sth awayโ be used in both literal and figurative ways?
A: Yes, it means either to impress someone or to move something by wind. - Q: Is โblow awayโ separable?
A: Yes, you can put the object between โblowโ and โawayโ or after โaway.โ - Q: What is the past tense of โblowโ?
A: The past tense is โblew.โ - Q: Can I say โblowed awayโ?
A: No, the correct form is โblew away.โ - Q: How do I use โblow someone awayโ in a sentence?
A: It means to impress someone deeply, e.g., โHer performance blew me away.โ
