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Thread: blow up/out

  1. #1
    dilodi83 is offline Senior Member
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    Default blow up/out

    suddenly a tyre blew up/out

    Are they both possible?

  2. #2
    bhaisahab's Avatar
    bhaisahab is offline Moderator
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    Default Re: blow up/out

    Quote Originally Posted by dilodi83 View Post
    suddenly a tyre blew up/out

    Are they both possible?
    No, "to blow up" could mean "to inflate" or "to explode by means of an explosive substance".
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    emsr2d2 is offline VIP Member
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    Default Re: blow up/out

    Quote Originally Posted by dilodi83 View Post
    suddenly a tyre blew up/out

    Are they both possible?
    I think "a blowout" in AmE is "a puncture" in BrE. I don't know if that means they say "my tyre (sorry, tire) blew out".

    As Bhai said, "to blow up" means to inflate or to explode. I suppose it is technically possible for a tyre to blow up (explode) but that would be a very unusual occurrence. Perhaps if you inflated it and inflated it and inflated it beyond its capacity it would finally explode. In that case you would "blow up the tyre until it blows up" (inflate until it explodes)!
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