from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Blister \Blis"ter\, n. [OE.; akin to OD. bluyster, fr. the same
root as blast, bladder, blow. See {Blow} to eject wind.]
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.
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And painful blisters swelled my tender hands.
--Grainger.
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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.
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3. A vesicatory; a plaster of Spanish flies, or other matter,
applied to raise a blister. --Dunglison.
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{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}.
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