(blast )

[Old English blæst, puff of wind]
A sudden, violent movement of air such as accompanies the explosion of a shell or bomb; or a violent sound, as the blast of a horn. It often causes damage to blast-sensitive organs such as the tympanic membrane, lung, or colon. It may also forcibly move people and objects, resulting in unpredictable injuries to unprotected body parts.
SYN: SEE: blast wind