ETYM AS. blaest a puff of wind, a blowing; akin to Icel. blâstr, Old High Germ. blâst, and from a verb akin to Icel. blâsa to blow, Old High Germ. blâsan, Goth. blęsan. Related to Blow to eject air.
1. (Baseball) A long and hard-hit fly ball.
2. An explosion (as of dynamite).

ETYM Latin diatriba a learned discussion, Greek, a wearing away of time.
A prolonged or exhaustive discussion; especially, an acrimonious or invective harangue; a strain of abusive or railing language; a philippic.
Violent speech or writing; denunciation.