Punished for his blasphemy against learning.
Bacon.
-blast (&?;). [Gr. &?; sprout, shoot.] A suffix or terminal formative, used principally in biological terms, and signifying growth, formation; as, bioblast, epiblast, mesoblast, etc.
Blast (blst), n. [AS. blst a puff of wind, a blowing; akin to Icel. blstr, OHG. blst, and fr. a verb akin to Icel. blsa to blow, OHG. blâsan, Goth. blsan (in comp.); all prob. from the same root as E. blow. See Blow to eject air.] 1. A violent gust of wind.
And see where surly Winter passes off,
Far to the north, and calls his ruffian blasts;
His blasts obey, and quit the howling hill.
Thomson.
2. A forcible stream of air from an orifice, as from a bellows, the mouth, etc. Hence: The continuous blowing to which one charge of ore or metal is subjected in a furnace; as, to melt so many tons of iron at a blast.
The terms hot blast and cold blast are employed to designate whether the current is heated or not heated before entering the furnace. A blast furnace is said to be in blast while it is in operation, and out of blast when not in use.
3. The exhaust steam from and engine, driving a column of air out of a boiler chimney, and thus creating an intense draught through the fire; also, any draught produced by the blast.
4. The sound made by blowing a wind instrument; strictly, the sound produces at one breath.
One blast upon his bugle horn
Were worth a thousand men.
Sir W. Scott.
The blast of triumph o'er thy grave.
Bryant.
5. A sudden, pernicious effect, as if by a noxious wind, especially on animals and plants; a blight.
By the blast of God they perish.
Job iv. 9.
Virtue preserved from fell destruction's blast.
Shak.
6. The act of rending, or attempting to rend, heavy masses of rock, earth, etc., by the explosion of gunpowder, dynamite, etc.; also, the charge used for this purpose. "Large blasts are often used." Tomlinson.