Blister

Blis·ter

Blister

n.
  1. A vesicle of the skin, containing watery matter or serum, whether occasioned by a burn or other injury, or by a vesicatory; a collection of serous fluid causing a bladderlike elevation of the cuticle.
    And painful blisters swelled my tender hands.
    — Grainger.
  2. Any elevation made by the separation of the film or skin, as on plants; or by the swelling of the substance at the surface, as on steel.
  3. A vesicatory; a plaster of Spanish flies, or other matter, applied to raise a blister.

Phrases & Compounds

Blister beetle
a beetle used to raise blisters, esp. the Lytta vesicatoria ([or] Cantharis vesicatoria), called Cantharis or Spanish fly by druggists. See Cantharis.
Blister fly
a blister beetle.
Blister plaster
a plaster designed to raise a blister; -- usually made of Spanish flies.
Blister steel
crude steel formed from wrought iron by cementation; -- so called because of its blistered surface. Called also blistered steel.
Blood blister
See under Blood.

Blister

v. i.

imp. & p. p. Blistered; p. pr. & vb. n. Blistering

  1. To be affected with a blister or blisters; to have a blister form on.
    Let my tongue blister.

Blister

v. t.
  1. To raise a blister or blisters upon.
    My hands were blistered.
    — Franklin.
  2. To give pain to, or to injure, as if by a blister.
    This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our tongue.