en.wiktionary.org

blowfish - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

An inflated blowfish.

From blow +‎ fish.

blowfish (plural blowfish or blowfishes)

  1. Any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe several times their normal size by swallowing water or air when threatened.

    • 1945, Harold Wallace Ross, William Shawn, Tina Brown, The New Yorker - Volume 21, Issues 21-37, page 20:

      Where the waves wish-wash, and the foghorn blows, And the blowfish nibble at your toes - oes - oes, The blowfish nibble at your toes.

  2. A delicacy popular in Japan, consisting of the fish served raw as sushi or perhaps fried. It may, if improperly prepared, contain considerably deadly levels of neurotoxins.

    • 1981 November 29, Steve Lohr, “ONE MAN'S FUGU IS ANOTHER'S POISON”, in The New York Times‎[1]:

      Fugu, the blowfish or globefish, offers taste, health and adventure in every bite.

any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe