blowfish

From blow +‎ fish.

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈbloʊˌfɪʃ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈbləʊˌfɪʃ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

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.

• (fish): balloonfish, globefish, puffer, pufferfish, swellfish
• (food): fugu

• fish bowl, fishbowl