Phrasal Verb: blow up

1. To blow up something (or blow something up) is to fill it with air (e.g. a balloon, or a car or bicycle tyre).

Examples of use:

a) Can you blow these balloons up for the party, please?

b) He blew up his tyres with a pump.

 

 

2. To blow up something or somebody (or blow something or somebody up) is to destroy something or kill somebody with a bomb.

When something blows up, or when somebody blows something up , it explodes.

Examples of use:

a) The family were injured when their house blew up because of a gas leak.

b) Fortunately the plane was empty when the hijackers blew it up.

 

 

3. To blow up something (or blow something up) is to make a large copy of a photograph.

Example of use:

I need a closer look at this photograph. Can you blow it up for me, please?

 

4. To blow up is to suddenly lose get very angry.

Informal English.

Example of use:

We were having a discussion about the accounts and he suddenly blew up and stormed out.

 

 

infinitive	blow up
present simple	blow up and blows up
-ing form	blowing up
past simple	blew up
past participle	blown up

 

Can you write a comment using this phrasal verb?

 

iImage by Crystl