A blow-by-blow account tells a story in order, almost minute by minute, with the small turns left in — who said what, who hit back, what happened next. People use it for fights and matches, but also for meetings, break-ups, and news: anywhere someone wants you to feel you were in the room. It is informal, and it often sounds a bit excited, like sports talk. Though actually, serious papers use it too, usually in front of account or description. It is not about wind, and it is not about hitting anyone in the telling. The picture is an old boxing match, punch after punch, until the whole fight is on the page.