How to Memorize

blow up the building; blow apart hopes/theory/plans

Analysis

 To 'blow up' means to explode or to lose one's temper. "He blew up at her when he realised what she had done." It can also be used to talk about a storm or the weather. "A sandstorm blew up after dinner." A scandal or incident which has emerged or become public can be said to 'blow up'. "The case blew up this week due to new evidence." To 'blow up' something can also mean to inflate it, you can 'blow up' a balloon or an air mattress for example or an inflatable toy. As a noun, 'a blow-up' can refer to the resizing of an image "I'd like a blow-up of that photo to hang on my wall." It can also be an outburst of anger. "The blow-up she had at her mother was very uncharacteristic."  As an adjective something 'blow-up' is able to be inflated such as 'a blow-up mattress' or a 'blow-up flotation device'. To 'blow something apart' can mean to destroy it with an explosion. "The dynamite blew apart the rock blocking access to the cave." To 'blow apart something' can also mean to prove it is wrong or false. "The research has blown apart the assumption that women could not play music as well as men."

Social Examples (Basic)

1. Dynamite was used to blow up the building.
2. The card stack was blown apart by a gust of wind.

Professional Examples (Basic)

1. I thought my hypothesis was very sound until the new research blew the whole thing apart. Now I need to start again.
2. Lack of investment has blown apart our hopes for new office space.

Further Suggestions