boom

[ boom ]

/ bum /

verb (used without object)

to make a deep, prolonged, resonant sound.

to move with a resounding rush or great impetus.

to progress, grow, or flourish vigorously, as a business or a city: Her business is booming since she enlarged the store.

verb (used with object)

to give forth with a booming sound (often followed by out): The clock boomed out nine.

to boost; campaign for vigorously: His followers are booming George for mayor.

noun

a deep, prolonged, resonant sound.

the resonant cry of a bird or animal.

a buzzing, humming, or droning, as of a bee or beetle.

a rapid increase in price, development, numbers, etc.: a boom in housing construction.

a period of rapid economic growth, prosperity, high wages and prices, and relatively full employment.

a rise in popularity, as of a political candidate.

adjective

caused by or characteristic of a boom: boom prices.

Origin of boom

1400–50; 1910–15 for def 10; late Middle English bombon, bummyn to buzz; cognate with Dutch bommen, German bummen, orig. imitative

SYNONYMS FOR boom

3 prosper, thrive, develop.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR boom ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM boom

boom·ing·ly, adverb

Words nearby boom

boolean, boolean algebra, boolean operation, boolean ring, boolean sum, boom, boom box, boom shot, boom town, boom, sonic, boom-and-bust

Definition for boom (2 of 2)

boom ²

[ boom ]

/ bum /

noun

Nautical. any of various more or less horizontal spars or poles for extending the feet of sails, especially fore-and-aft sails, for handling cargo, suspending mooring lines alongside a vessel, pushing a vessel away from wharves, etc.

Aeronautics.

an outrigger used on certain aircraft for connecting the tail surfaces to the fuselage.
a maneuverable and retractable pipe on a tanker aircraft for refueling another aircraft in flight.
chord¹(def 4).

a chain, cable, series of connected floating timbers, or the like, serving to obstruct navigation, confine floating timber, etc.

the area thus shut off.

Machinery. a spar or beam projecting from the mast of a derrick for supporting or guiding the weights to be lifted.

(on a motion-picture or television stage) a spar or beam on a mobile crane for holding or manipulating a microphone or camera.

verb (used with object)

to extend or position, as a sail (usually followed by out or off).

to manipulate (an object) by or as by means of a crane or derrick.

verb (used without object)

to sail at full speed.

Origin of boom

1635–45; < Dutch: tree, pole, beam

OTHER WORDS FROM boom

boom·less, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for boom

Christie has a lot riding on fulfilling his promise of shepherding Atlantic City into a third boom era.

I Watched a Casino Kill Itself: The Awful Last Nights of Atlantic City’s Taj Mahal |Olivia Nuzzi |December 8, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
And so there has been a boom in placing solar fields on top of landfills.

Garbage In, Power Out |The Daily Beast |November 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
In a new video, the Kentucky Republican brags about lowering the boom on sexual harasser Bob Packwood.

And Now Mitch McConnell Is the ‘Pro-Woman’ Candidate! |Eleanor Clift |October 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
For most African countries, the past two decades have been boom time.

How I Got Addicted to Africa (and Wrote a Thriller About It) |Todd Moss |September 9, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

“It was so opulent that no one ever thought it would sink, then boom—it was gone,” says Conway.

The Ghost Hotels of the Catskills |Brandon Presser |August 25, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The ensign haulyards are reeved through a small block at the peak end, and lead down to the boom.

Every Boy's Book: A Complete Encyclopdia of Sports and Amusements |Various
But Rosy see 'em coming, jammed the tiller over, the boom swung across and swept the three overboard pretty as you please.

Cape Cod Stories |Joseph C. Lincoln
They set up a chant, marking the time with a small wooden drum, and the boom of hollow bamboos struck endwise upon the earth.

The Fijians |Basil Thomson
He was speaking French, and in a low tone that sounded like the boom of a distant bell.

Guy Deverell, v. 1 of 2 |Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
He bolted half a mile with the first boom of the bittern, and his hat lifted with every yelp of the sheitpoke.

Freckles |Gene Stratton-Porter

British Dictionary definitions for boom (1 of 2)

boom ¹

/ (buːm) /

verb

to make a deep prolonged resonant sound, as of thunder or artillery fire

to prosper or cause to prosper vigorously and rapidly business boomed

noun

a deep prolonged resonant sound the boom of the sea

the cry of certain animals, esp the bittern

a period of high economic growth characterized by rising wages, profits, and prices, full employment, and high levels of investment, trade, and other economic activity Compare depression (def. 5)

any similar period of high activity

the activity itself a baby boom

Word Origin for boom

C15: perhaps from Dutch bommen, of imitative origin

British Dictionary definitions for boom (2 of 2)

boom ²

/ (buːm) /

noun

nautical a spar to which a sail is fastened to control its position relative to the wind

a beam or spar pivoting at the foot of the mast of a derrick, controlling the distance from the mast at which a load is lifted or lowered

a pole, usually extensible, carrying an overhead microphone and projected over a film or television set

a barrier across a waterway, usually consisting of a chain of connected floating logs, to confine free-floating logs, protect a harbour from attack, etc
the area so barred off

Word Origin for boom

C16: from Dutch boom tree, beam

Idioms and Phrases with boom

boom

see lower the boom.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

boom

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

adjective

Origin of boom

SYNONYMS FOR boom

OTHER WORDS FROM boom

Words nearby boom

Definition for boom (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of boom

OTHER WORDS FROM boom

Example sentences from the Web for boom

British Dictionary definitions for boom (1 of 2)

verb

noun

Word Origin for boom

British Dictionary definitions for boom (2 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for boom

Idioms and Phrases with boom

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

boom

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

adjective

Origin of boom

SYNONYMS FOR boom

OTHER WORDS FROM boom

Words nearby boom

Definition for boom (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of boom

OTHER WORDS FROM boom

Words related to boom

Example sentences from the Web for boom

British Dictionary definitions for boom (1 of 2)

verb

noun

Word Origin for boom

British Dictionary definitions for boom (2 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for boom

Idioms and Phrases with boom