1. verb To extinguish something (typically a flame) with some form of air, such as breath or wind. Make a wish and blow out your birthday candles! That huge gust of wind blew out all our tiki torches.

2. verb To break or burst suddenly. I almost lost control of the car when one of the tires blew out on the highway.

3. verb, slang To kill someone, typically with gunfire. Ray blew out the informant, just as the boss told him to.

4. verb To defeat an opponent easily and/or by a wide margin. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "blow" and "out." The final score was 17-1? Wow, we really blew that team out! I have a feeling the top-ranked team is just going to blow out any opponent they face.

5. verb To return to a state of calm after turmoil by something's own workings. Don't worry, the storm will blow out eventually.

6. verb To break or explode due to excessive pressure or force. The vibration of that opera singer's high note blew out a window!

7. noun An intense argument or disagreement. In this usage, the phrase is often written as one word. Our neighbors had a real blowout last night—we could hear them screaming at each other through the walls.

8. noun A big, elaborate party. In this usage, the phrase is often written as one word. Come on, we need to have one last blowout before we graduate from college!

9. noun A method of styling one's hair with a blow dryer and a round brush. In this usage, the phrase is often written as one word. To ensure that my hair would look good for the wedding, I stopped at the salon for a blowout.

10. noun An instance of a tire suddenly bursting while the vehicle is being driven. In this usage, the phrase is often written as one word. I almost lost control of the car when I got a blowout on the highway.

11. noun The unchecked, often accidental, release of a substance, such as oil or gas. In this usage, the phrase is often written as one word. What effects did the oil blowout have on marine life?

12. noun An easy victory and/or one by a wide margin. In this usage, the phrase is often written as one word. The final score was 17-1? Wow, that's really a blowout!

13. noun slang An instance of excessive fecal matter not being contained by a diaper. In this usage, the phrase is often written as one word. I'm sorry I'm late, the baby had a blowout, so I had to give her a bath before dropping her at the sitter's.