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Linguistics

What Does "Blow off Steam" Mean?

By Troy Holmes
Updated Jan 30, 2024
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The English language includes many idiomatic expressions. The phrase "blow off steam" refers a person who relieves stress with some form of extreme activity or behavior. Some examples include yelling, exercising, fighting, or drinking alcohol. This describes any activity that relieves pressure caused by stress.

The phrase blow off steam came from a historical reference to steam engines. These engines used pressure relief valves to let the steam out of the motor compartment. This ensured the motor wouldn't blow up with too much pressure. Stress and anxiety can be compared to the pressure of a steam engine, which needs to be released or a person could have an emotional breakdown.

People who need to blow off steam need to do something fun and entertaining to vent frustrations. This is a common phrase used after a stressful day at work. Many people go to happy hour at local pubs or breweries to drink and vent about bad things that caused stress during the day.

Stress can be extremely harmful to the human body and is known to cause serious health issues. It is better to blow off steam then to keep stress bottled up inside. One of the best ways to relieve stress is to perform rigorous exercise on a regular basis. This exercise routine helps the body release tension and frustration, while improving physical conditioning.

Another great way to blow off steam is to meditate and practice yoga. Many relaxation techniques can be used during meditation. This type of stress reliever is one of the best ways to calm the body and mind after a stressful day.

Bad traffic and long commutes can cause unnecessary stress. After a long commute, a person needs to blow off steam. He needs to unwind and relax before engaging in any productive conversation. Getting a cup of coffee and reading a newspaper can resolve this stress. He needs to have a few minutes to unwind and forget about the crazy traffic that caused him stress.

Many people go dancing or partying with friends as a way to blow off steam. This is way to cut loose and let the hair down for a few hours with no worries. Having a good time is a healthy way to reduce stress but should be done in moderation.

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Discussion Comments

By Inaventu — On Dec 17, 2014

I can fully appreciate an expression like "blowing off steam". There are weeks at work when I feel like a lot of pressure is building up in my head, but I have no way of letting it go without looking like a lunatic. I have a few ways to blow off some steam, mostly involving lots of alcohol or playing sports. I have a professional grade boxing punching bag in my basement, and I will sometimes strap on some gloves and go at it for an hour or so while blasting heavy metal music out of my stereo.

By AnswerMan — On Dec 17, 2014

One of my favorite ways of blowing off steam is by singing karaoke at night. I find that belting out a challenging rock song is about as effective as screaming my head off at someone who deserves it. Some nights I'll stick to mellower songs and blow off some steam by entertaining people, but other nights I just feel like requesting nothing but hard rock songs and not holding back at all on the vocals.

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