boom

¹

[ boom ]

verb (used without object)

1. to make a deep, prolonged, resonant sound.
2. to move with a resounding rush or great impetus.
3. to progress, grow, or flourish vigorously, as a business or a city:

   Her business is booming since she enlarged the store.

   Synonyms: develop, thrive, prosper, flourish

verb (used with object)

1. to give forth with a booming sound (often followed by out ):

   The clock boomed out nine.

2. to boost; campaign for vigorously:

   His followers are booming George for mayor.

noun

1. a deep, prolonged, resonant sound.
2. the resonant cry of a bird or animal.
3. a buzzing, humming, or droning, as of a bee or beetle.
4. a rapid increase in price, development, numbers, etc.:

   a boom in housing construction.

5. a period of rapid economic growth, prosperity, high wages and prices, and relatively full employment.
6. a rise in popularity, as of a political candidate.

adjective

1. caused by or characteristic of a boom:

   boom prices.

boom

²

[ boom ]

noun

1. 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.
2. Aeronautics.
   1. an outrigger used on certain aircraft for connecting the tail surfaces to the fuselage.
   2. a maneuverable and retractable pipe on a tanker aircraft for refueling another aircraft in flight.
   3. chord ¹( def 4 ).
3. a chain, cable, series of connected floating timbers, or the like, serving to obstruct navigation, confine floating timber, etc.
4. the area thus shut off.
5. Machinery. a spar or beam projecting from the mast of a derrick for supporting or guiding the weights to be lifted.
6. (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)

1. to extend or position, as a sail (usually followed by out or off ).
2. to manipulate (an object) by or as by means of a crane or derrick.

verb (used without object)

1. to sail at full speed.

boom

¹

/ buːm /

verb

1. to make a deep prolonged resonant sound, as of thunder or artillery fire
2. to prosper or cause to prosper vigorously and rapidly

   business boomed

noun

1. a deep prolonged resonant sound

   the boom of the sea

2. the cry of certain animals, esp the bittern
3. 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
4. any similar period of high activity
5. the activity itself

   a baby boom

boom

²

/ buːm /

noun

1. nautical a spar to which a sail is fastened to control its position relative to the wind
2. 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
3. a pole, usually extensible, carrying an overhead microphone and projected over a film or television set
4. 1. 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
   2. the area so barred off

Other Words From

• booming·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of boom¹

First recorded in 1400–50; 1910–15 boom ¹fordef 10; late Middle English bombon, bummyn “to buzz”; cognate with Dutch bommen, German bummen; imitative of the sound

Origin of boom²

First recorded in 1660–65; from Dutch: literally, “tree, pole”; beam

Word History and Origins

Origin of boom¹

C15: perhaps from Dutch bommen , of imitative origin

Origin of boom²

C16: from Dutch boom tree, beam

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. lower the boom, to take decisive punitive action:

   The government has lowered the boom on tax evaders.

More idioms and phrases containing boom

see lower the boom .

Example Sentences

“We don’t want boom and bust, where one year we’re up, the next year we’re down. That doesn’t help anybody.”

From BBC

Other companies have also rushed to Saskatchewan to capitalise on the boom, starting their own exploration projects in the region, while existing players re-opened dormant mines.

From BBC

Within a year, Kazakhstan's Bitcoin mining industry went from boom to bust as the government imposed restrictions and increased taxes to curb the growth.

From BBC

But the Twentieth Century Society has campaigned for the Centenary Building to be listed saying that it had been described in the Architect's Journal as “the best building to emerge from the new university building boom of recent years”.

From BBC

The 82-year-old has overseen an economic boom that has turned to bust as a result of the now-dwindling oil reserves.

From BBC

Related Words

• develop
• expand
• flourish
• grow
• intensify
• strengthen
• swell
• thrive