Meaning & use
blowlamp
Last updated
UK/ˈbləʊlæmp/
US/ˈbloʊlæmp/
Meaning
nouncountable
A hand tool that shoots out a very hot flame, used for stripping paint, melting solder or heating pipes.
Grammar: Has a plural: two blowlamps. Often used with the verbs use and light.
Patterns
- with a blowlamp
- use a blowlamp to do something
He stripped the old paint from the door with a blowlamp.
The plumber lit a blowlamp to join the copper pipes.
Keep a bucket of water nearby whenever you use a blowlamp.
Word forms
| plural | blowlamps |
|---|
Common combinations
- light a blowlamp
- She lit the blowlamp carefully outdoors.
- use a blowlamp on something
- Don't use a blowlamp on painted wood in a closed room.
- strip paint with a blowlamp
- We stripped paint with a blowlamp, then sanded the wood.
- a gas blowlamp
- He bought a gas blowlamp from the hardware shop.
Synonyms and how they differ
- blowtorch
- Blowtorch is the American term, and it is understood in Britain too.
- gas torch
- Gas torch is a general description and sounds less traditional.
- burner
- A burner is a fixed part of a stove or heater, not a handheld tool.
- heat gun
- A heat gun blows hot air rather than producing an open flame.
Word family
Commonly confused: blowlamp or blowpipe?
blowlamp vs blowpipe
A blowpipe is a tube used to shoot darts or to shape hot glass, not a flame tool.
Practice
A builder in Britain would most likely use a blowlamp to
Choose one answer.
A blowlamp gives a strong flame that softens paint. The other options need a tape measure, a pump or clamps.
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