What Is a Blown Lamp?

A blown lamp is one that is not working, more commonly here (Canada) you would say the bulb is 'burned out'.

What is a blown light bulb?

When the bottom of a light bulb doesn't make a snug connection with the hardware in the light socket, it can cause electricity to arc between the socket and bulb. You may not know this is happening just by looking at the bulb, but arcing electricity can generate excess heat, leading to a blowout.

How do you know if a light is blown?

The trick is to shake the bulb lightly once the bulb has cooled off completely. If you hear something rattling around, the filament has broken, and you know the bulb has burnt out or is otherwise damaged. Low wattage bulbs may produce a very unpleasant smell if they have burnt out.