blister

September 17, 2024 KIRU

bilateral

Pronunciation

IPA Phonetic Spelling for "blister"

The IPA phonetic spelling for "blister" in American English is:

/ˈblɪstər/

Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:

First syllable (blɪs):

/b/: voiced bilabial stop (similar to "b" in "bat")
/l/: voiced alveolar lateral approximant (similar to "l" in "like")
/ɪ/: near-close near-front unrounded vowel (similar to "i" in "bit")

Second syllable (tər):

/t/: voiceless alveolar plosive (similar to "t" in "top")
/ə/: schwa, mid central vowel (a neutral, unstressed vowel sound)
/r/: voiced alveolar trill (similar to "r" in "rat")

Word Form Variations

The word "blister" has several word form variations depending on its part of speech:

Noun:

Singular: blister
Plural: blisters

Verb:

Present tense (3rd person singular): blisters (e.g., "The hot sun blisters my skin.")
Present participle: blistering (e.g., "My feet are blistering from the long hike.")
Past tense: blistered (e.g., "The new shoes blistered my heels.")
Past participle: blistered (e.g., "I have blistered feet from running.")

Less common:

Adjective: blistered (used to describe something that has blisters, e.g., "blistered skin")
Slang (verb): to blister someone (to criticise or rebuke them harshly)

Definitions, Synonyms, Antonyms

Noun:

Definition: A raised, fluid-filled pocket in the upper layer of skin, often caused by friction, heat, or chemical irritation. (Synonyms: vesicle, ampoule) (Antonyms: none)
Example: "I got a blister on my heel from wearing uncomfortable shoes all day."

Verb (intransitive):

Definition: To develop a blister. (Synonyms: form blisters, become blistered) (Antonyms: heal, improve)
Example: "My feet are starting to blister after walking for miles."

Verb (transitive - less common):

Definition: To cause to develop a blister on something (usually skin). (Synonyms: chaff, abrade) (Antonyms: soothe, heal)
Example: "The tight grip on the tennis racket blistered my hand." (This usage is less common than the intransitive form.)

Adjective:

Definition: Having one or more blisters. (Synonyms: blistered-up) (Antonyms: smooth, unbroken)
Example: "He wore thick socks to prevent his feet from becoming blistered."

Note: The adverb form ("blisteringly") and slang verb form ("to blister someone") are not as common.

Examples of Use

Literature:

"The long journey left Frodo's feet blistered and raw." (J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring)

Newspapers:

"Heat wave warnings issued as temperatures could cause sunburn and blisters." (Local newspaper weather report)

Online Publications:

"Blister" (Mayo Clinic website - medical information)

Entertainment Mediums:

Video Game: Character complains about getting blisters from their new in-game boots.
Movie: Close-up shot of a character's hand with a painful-looking blister after a fight scene.

Platforms:

Social Media: "Ugh, just got a massive blister from those new sandals everyone's raving about! #BlisteredFeet" (Social media post)

General Public Discourse:

"Be careful with that new shovel, it could blister your hands if you don't wear gloves." (Everyday conversation)
"Those new hiking boots didn't blister my feet at all, unlike the last pair!" (Online forum discussion)

10 Famous Quotes Using the term Blister

While the word "blister" is evocative and can be used figuratively, it's less common in famous quotes. Here are ten quotes that capture a similar sentiment using different words:

"If you want a place in the sun, you've got to put up with a few blisters." - Anonymous (This proverb captures the idea of enduring hardship to achieve success.)
"The road to success is paved with setbacks." - Malcolm X (Similar to the first quote, this emphasises overcoming challenges.)
"No pain, no gain." - Anonymous (This common saying suggests effort can lead to positive results.)
"Experience is a hard teacher but every fool learns from her." - Thomas Carlyle (This quote highlights the lessons learned from challenges.)
"The knocks we get on our head are the ones that make us think." - J. Robert Oppenheimer (Similar to the previous quote, this emphasises learning from difficulties.)
"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the massive characters are seared with scars." - Khalil Gibran (This quote uses "seared" to convey the impact of hardship.)
"What does not kill me, makes me stronger." - Friedrich Nietzsche (This famous quote suggests challenges can make us stronger.)
"Diamonds are formed under pressure." - Suzy Kassem (This metaphorical quote uses pressure to represent challenges that create something valuable.)
"We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations." - Charles R. Swindoll (This quote uses "impossible situations" to represent challenges that lead to growth.)
"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be." - Ralph Waldo Emerson (This quote focuses on the power of choice in overcoming obstacles.)

Etymology

The word "blister" doesn't have a clear-cut origin story. It likely popped up in English sometime in the 1300s or 1400s. Experts believe it might be related to the French word "blestre," which also meant blister.

The first time we see "blister" written down was around 1400 in a poem called "Cursor Mundi." Back then, it just meant the raised, watery bump we know today, caused by burns, friction, or other irritations.

Phrases + Idioms Containing the term Blister

Literal Uses:
- Work one's fingers to the blister: This describes someone working extremely hard, often manually, to the point of developing blisters.
- Blistering pace: This refers to a very fast or intense speed or rate of doing something.
- Put a Band-Aid on a blister: This means to provide a quick and temporary solution to a deeper problem.
Figurative Uses:
- Blister someone (slang): This means to criticise or rebuke someone harshly.
- Blistering (adjective): Used to describe something extremely hot, intense, or critical. (e.g., "blistering heat," "blistering attack")
- To not break a blister: This means to avoid any kind of effort or exertion. (This idiom can be used sarcastically)
Less Common:
- On one's blisters: This means to be very close to achieving something, often after a lot of effort.

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