English with Jo

Blow Up

The phrasal verb 'blow up' has a few different meanings. The first meaning is to fill something with air or gas.

Example: The little boy is blowing up balloons.

The second meaning is to explode.

Example: The whole building blew up when the bomb went off.

Another meaning is to become angry.

Example: John will blow up when he hears the news.

Finally, we also use blow up to mean enlarge or make something bigger.

Example: She has blown up one of her wedding photographs and placed it on the wall.