# blasting

Pronunciation: US say "BLAST-ing" /ˈblæstɪŋ/; UK say "BLAHST-ing" /ˈblɑːstɪŋ/

## Verb

1. Present participle and gerund of blast. — present participle and gerund of blast
   - Simple: Present participle and gerund of blast. Use this -ing form for the action as it is happening.
   - _Engineers spent the week blasting tunnels through the mountain._
   - _She kept blasting cold air through the vents to clear the smoke._

## Noun

2. A deliberately set explosion, such as one used to break apart rock in mining, quarrying, or construction.
   - Simple: A planned explosion used to break apart rock, often in a mine or quarry.
   - _A series of blastings cleared the way for the new highway tunnel._
   - _Residents complained that the blasting near the dam shook their homes._
3. The act of striking something with ruin or decay, as when frost or disease blights a crop or withers living growth.
   - Simple: The act of causing something to wither or die, like a plant hurt by frost or disease.
   - _Old letters describe the blasting of the vineyards during that bitter year._
   - _A single night of frost was enough for the blasting of the young buds._
4. Taking performance-enhancing drugs at full dosage, rather than reducing them during a lower-dose 'cruising' phase. *(slang)*
   - Simple: Taking the full, high dose of muscle-building drugs, instead of cutting back to a lower dose.
   - _After eight weeks of blasting, he dropped down to a maintenance dose._
   - _Veteran lifters debated whether year-round blasting was worth the health risks._

## Origin

**Meaning 1** — From Middle English blastynge, formed from "blast" plus the present participle ending "-ing".
**Meanings 2–4** — From Middle English blastyng or blastynge, formed from "blast" plus the gerundive ending "-ing".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/blasting (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).