blow-up
UK[ˈbləʊ ʌp]US[ˈbloʊ ʌp]
n
A sudden and violent explosion
n
A large-scale photographic enlargement
n
An instance of something bursting or being destroyed by an explosion
n
A sudden and serious argument or emotional outburst
Morpheme Breakdown
blow
up
blow
to move air
up
to a higher state/degree
Etymology
The compound "blow-up" is a phrasal verb turned noun, built from two ancient Germanic roots. The verb "blow" originates from the Proto-Indo-European root bhlē-, meaning "to blow, swell," which evolved into the Old English concept of moving air with force. The particle "up," from PIE upo (under, up from under), developed in Germanic to signify upward direction or increase. Combined, the literal sense is "to blow (air/force) until something rises or expands." This core logic of expansion under force naturally extended to describe explosions, the enlarging of photographs, and the figurative bursting of tempers or conflicts, where internal pressure escalates to a point of rupture.
Analysis
Structure: blow (to move air) + up (to a higher state/degree)
- blow: From Old English blāwan (to blow, breathe, inflate), of Germanic origin. Functional role: verb root indicating an action involving air or force.
- up: From Old English up(p), ūp, of Germanic origin. Functional role: adverbial particle indicating an increase in intensity, scale, or completion.
Examples
The investigation focused on the cause of the factory blow-up.
She ordered a blow-up of the old family portrait to hang on the wall.
Their disagreement over finances turned into a major blow-up.