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Phrase(s): blow off
1. Lit. [for something] to be carried off something by moving air. • The leaves of the trees blew off in the strong wind. • My papers blew off the table. 2. Lit. [for a valve or pressure-maintaining device] to be forced off or away by high pressure. (See the examples.) • The safety valve blew off and all the pressure escaped. • The valve blew off, making a loud pop. 3. Fig. [for someone] to become angry; to lose one’s temper; to blow off (some) steam. • I just needed to blow off. Sorry for the outburst. • I blew off at her. 4. Sl. to goof off; to waste time; to procrastinate. • You blow off too much. • All your best time is gone—blown off. 5. Sl. a time-waster; a goof-off. (Usually blow-off.) • Fred is such a blow-off! • Get busy. I don’t pay blow-offs around here. 6. Sl. something that can be done easily or without much effort. (Usually blowoff.) • Oh, that is just a blow-off. Nothing to it. • The test was easy—a blow-off. 7. and blow someone or something off Sl. to ignore someone or something; to skip an appointment with someone; to not attend something where one is expected. • He decided to sleep in and blow this class off. • It wasn’t right for you to just blow off an old friend the way you did. 8. and blow someone off Sl. to ignore someone in order to end a romantic or other relationship. • She knew that he had blown her off when he didn’t even call her for a month. • Steve blew off Rachel before he started seeing Jane. 9. Sl. the final insult; an event that causes a dispute. (Usually blow-off.) • The blowoff was a call from some girl named Lulu who asked for Snookums. • When the blow-off happened, nobody was expecting anything. 10. Sl. a dispute; an argument. (Usually blow-off.) • After a blow-off like that, we all need a break. • There was a big blow-off in the office today.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs
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1. Vent one's strong feelings; see BLOW OFF STEAM. 2. Disregard, ignore; evade something important. For example, If you blow off your homework, you're bound to run into trouble on the exam. [Slang; second half of 1900s] 3. Overcome, defeat easily, as in With Rob pitching, we'll have no trouble blowing off the opposing team. [Slang; 1950s] Also see BLOW AWAY, def. 2. 4. Ignore, abandon, refuse to take part. For example, The college is blowing off our request for a new student center. [Slang; mid1900s]
American Heritage Idioms