English Meaning & Definitions
To suffer, experience, or receive a severe setback, misfortune, or physical hit.
- “The tourism industry sustained a major blow due to the unexpected travel restrictions.”
- “Local businesses sustained a severe blow when the primary factory closed down.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “sustain a blow”.
The verb 'sustain' derives from Old French 'sostenir' (from Latin 'sustinere', meaning to hold up, endure, or support), while 'blow' comes from Middle English 'blowe', meaning a hard stroke or hit. Together, the idiom reflects the literal sense of bearing or enduring a physical strike, which over time expanded metaphorically to include suffering severe emotional, financial, or reputational damage.
Think of a sturdy building (sustaining/holding up) that has to take the impact of a falling heavy object (a blow).
Frequently Asked Questions About “sustain a blow”
1. What is the meaning of “sustain a blow” in English?
In English, sustain a blow (idiom) is defined as: “To suffer, experience, or receive a severe setback, misfortune, or physical hit.”.
2. How do you use “sustain a blow” in a sentence?
“The tourism industry sustained a major blow due to the unexpected travel restrictions.”
3. What are English synonyms of “sustain a blow”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “sustain a blow”?
The verb 'sustain' derives from Old French 'sostenir' (from Latin 'sustinere', meaning to hold up, endure, or support), while 'blow' comes from Middle English 'blowe', meaning a hard stroke or hit. Together, the idiom reflects the literal sense of bearing or enduring a physical strike, which over time expanded metaphorically to include suffering severe emotional, financial, or reputational damage.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.