▪ I. ˈblustering, vbl. n.1
[f. as prec. + -ing1.]
1. Boisterous blowing of the wind; tempest.
| 1530 Palsgr. 199/1 Blustryng of wyndes, behovrdis. 1577 tr. Bullinger's Decades (1592) 414 Then sodeinly came a whirlwind with a wonderfull storme and blustering. |
2. fig. Of a person: Raging, storming; violent or turbulent speech; noisy and windy talk; loud swaggering insolence.
| a 1494 Hylton Scala Perf. (ed. W. de W.) ii. xlv, The soule dredeth no more the blustrynge of the fende, than þe stirynge of a mows. 1562 Cooper Answ. Def. Truth (1850) Quietly and calmly, without storming or tempestuous blustering at you. 1628 Earle Microcosm. lxiii. 135 His labour is meer blustering and fury. 1631 R. H. Arraignm. Whole Creat. xviii. 326 These tossings, tumblings, blusterings, bickerings..of the unruly passions. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 40 ¶5 Their Swelling and Blustring upon the Stage. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. I. i. vi. v. 184 That thick murk of Journalism, with its dull blustering. |
▪ II. † blustering, vbl. n.2 Obs.
| 1400–1560 Test. Love i. (1560) 273 b, Truly in the blustering of her look she yave gladnesse and comfort suddainly to all my wits. |
▪ III. ˈblustering, ppl. a.
[f. as prec. + -ing2.]
1. Blowing boisterously; stormy, tempestuous.
| 1513 Douglas æneis i. iii. 15 Ane blusterand [ed. 1553 blasterand] bub, out fra the northt braying. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Dec. 132 His blustring blast eche coste doth scoure. 1633 G. Herbert Temple 90 While blustring windes destroy the wanton bowres. 1747 Hervey Medit. & Contempl. (1818) 134 If the..flowers should presume to come abroad in the blustering months. 1878 Black Green Past. xviii. 143 These moist and blustering November days. |
2. fig. Tempestuous, stormy; turbulent.
| 1587 L. Bryskett Mourn. Muse Thestylis 78 Whose blustring sighes at first their sorrow did declare. 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts 503 The blustring and unsteady state of all these earthly Kingdoms. a 1656 ― Rem. Wks. (1660) 149 Gods Spirit leads not in a blustring and hurrying violence. |
3. Violent in speech and demeanour; loud-talking, self-assertive, hectoring, boastful, swaggering.
| 1652 Wharton Rothmann's Chirom. Ded. 2 The Blustring noise of an Empty Title. 1770 Junius Lett. xxxviii. 187 Such..were the blustering promises. 1884 Sat. Rev. 14 June 766/2 A turbulent and blustering diplomatist. |