Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary полностью

1 N‑VAR Blossom is the flowers that appear on a tree before the fruit. □  The cherry blossom came out early in Washington this year. □  …the blossoms of plants, shrubs and trees.

2 VERB If someone or something blossoms , they develop good, attractive, or successful qualities. □ [V ] Why do some people take longer than others to blossom? □ [V + into ] What began as a local festival has blossomed into an international event. □ [V -ing] The pair have tried to keep their blossoming relationship under wraps. ●  blos|som|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the blossoming of British art, pop and fashion.

3 VERB When a tree blossoms , it produces blossom. □ [V ] Rain begins to fall and peach trees blossom.

blot /blɒ t/ (blots , blotting , blotted )

1 N‑COUNT If something is a blot on a person's or thing's reputation, it spoils their reputation. □ [+ on ] …a blot on the reputation of the architectural profession. □ [+ on ] This drugs scandal is another blot on the competition.

2 N‑COUNT A blot is a drop of liquid that has fallen on to a surface and has dried. □  …an ink blot.

3 VERB If you blot a surface, you remove liquid from it by pressing a piece of soft paper or cloth onto it. □ [V n] Before applying make-up, blot the face with a tissue to remove any excess oils. [Also V n adj]

4 PHRASE If you describe something such as a building as a blot on the landscape , you mean that you think it is very ugly and spoils an otherwise attractive place. □  The developers insist the £80m village will not leave a blot on the landscape.

▸  blot out

1 PHRASAL VERB If one thing blots out another thing, it is in front of the other thing and prevents it from being seen. □ [V P n] About the time the three climbers were halfway down, clouds blotted out the sun. □ [V n P ] …with mist blotting everything out except the endless black of the spruce on either side.

2 PHRASAL VERB If you try to blot out a memory, you try to forget it. If one thought or memory blots out other thoughts or memories, it becomes the only one that you can think about. □ [V P n] Are you saying that she's trying to blot out all memory of the incident? □ [V n P ] The boy has gaps in his mind about it. He is blotting certain things out. □ [V n P + of ] She has suffered an extremely unhappy childhood, but simply blotted it out of her memory.

blotch /blɒ tʃ/ (blotches ) N‑COUNT A blotch is a small unpleasant-looking area of colour, for example on someone's skin.

blotched /blɒ tʃt/ ADJ Something that is blotched has blotches on it. □  Her face is blotched and swollen. □ [+ with ] …a dozen cargo planes blotched with camouflage colors.

blotchy /blɒ tʃi/ ADJ Something that is blotchy has blotches on it. □  My skin goes red and blotchy. □  …blotchy marks on the leaves.

blot|ter /blɒ tə ^r / (blotters ) N‑COUNT A blotter is a large sheet of blotting paper kept in a special holder on a desk.

blo t|ting pa|per N‑UNCOUNT Blotting paper is thick soft paper that you use for soaking up and drying ink on a piece of paper.

blouse /blaʊ z, [AM ] blaʊ s/ (blouses ) N‑COUNT A blouse is a kind of shirt worn by a girl or woman.

blow

➊ VERB USES

➋ NOUN USES

➊ blow ◆◆◇ /bloʊ / (blows , blowing , blew , blown )

→ Please look at categories 15 to 22 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.

1 VERB When a wind or breeze blows , the air moves. □ [V ] We woke to find a gale blowing outside.