blown
UK[bləʊn]US[bloʊn]
adj
Past participle of blow. Used to describe something that has been moved or shaped by air, or an explosive force.
adj
(of glass) shaped by forcing air into a mass of molten material.
adj
(of a fuse) melted and broken by excessive current.
adj
(informal) exhausted; spent.
Etymology
The word 'blown' originates from the Old English verb 'blāwan', meaning 'to move air, to puff, to inflate'. This term has deep Proto-Germanic roots in 'blǣ-', which is itself likely onomatopoeic, imitating the sound of rushing air. Over centuries, its participle form evolved from Old English 'geblāwen' to Middle English 'blowen', finally settling as 'blown'. The semantic journey expanded from the literal act of moving air to encompass related concepts: objects moved by wind, glass shaped by air, electrical fuses broken by heat (a metaphorical "blast"), and finally, the informal sense of a person being exhausted or "spent," as if by a powerful gust.
Analysis
The word 'blown' is the past participle form of the verb 'blow'. It is a simplex form derived from a single, indivisible Old English root.
Examples
The fallen leaves were scattered across the lawn by the blown wind.
The artisan displayed a beautifully blown glass vase.
After the marathon, he felt completely blown and needed to rest.