Blister | n. [ OE.; akin to OD. bluyster, fr. the same root as blast, bladder, blow. See Blow to eject wind. ] 1. A vesicle of the skin, containing watery matter or serum, whether occasioned by a burn or other injury, or by a vesicatory; a collection of serous fluid causing a bladderlike elevation of the cuticle. [ 1913 Webster ] And painful blisters swelled my tender hands. Grainger. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Any elevation made by the separation of the film or skin, as on plants; or by the swelling of the substance at the surface, as on steel. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. A vesicatory; a plaster of Spanish flies, or other matter, applied to raise a blister. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ] Blister beetle, a beetle used to raise blisters, esp. the Lytta vesicatoria (or Cantharis vesicatoria), called Cantharis or Spanish fly by druggists. See Cantharis. -- Blister fly, a blister beetle. -- Blister plaster, a plaster designed to raise a blister; -- usually made of Spanish flies. -- Blister steel, crude steel formed from wrought iron by cementation; -- so called because of its blistered surface. Called also blistered steel. -- Blood blister. See under Blood. [ 1913 Webster ]
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Blister | v. t. 1. To raise a blister or blisters upon. [ 1913 Webster ] My hands were blistered. Franklin. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. To give pain to, or to injure, as if by a blister. [ 1913 Webster ] This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our tongue. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] |
blistering | adj. 1. harshly or corrosively critical in tone; -- of comments about people or their actions. blistering criticism Syn. -- acerb, acerbic, acid, bitter, caustic, scathing, venomous, virulent, vitriolic. [ WordNet 1.5 ] 2. intensely hot. blistering sun Syn. -- blistery. [ WordNet 1.5 ] 3. very fast; as, a blistering pace. Syn. -- red-hot, scorching. [ WordNet 1.5 ] |