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blow·out

(blōout′)

a. A sudden rupture or bursting, as of an automobile tire.

b. The hole made by such a rupture.

2. A sudden escape of a confined gas or liquid, as from a well.

3. Informal

a. A large party or other social affair: "Lunch was a billion-calorie blowout beside the pool" (Vanity Fair).

b. A lopsided victory or thorough defeat.

c. A sale in which the discounts are unusually large.

4. A treatment, as at a beauty salon, in which the hair is washed, blown dry, and styled without being cut.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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