broom

[ broom, broom ]

noun

1. an implement for sweeping, consisting of a brush of straw or stiff strands of synthetic material bound tightly to the end of a long handle.
2. any shrubby plant belonging to the genus Genista or the genus Cytisus, of the legume family, especially C. scoparius, common in Western Europe on uncultivated ground and having long, slender branches bearing yellow flowers.
3. Building Trades. the crushed and spread part at the head of a wooden pile after driving.

verb (used with object)

1. to sweep:

   Broom the porch.

2. to splinter or fray mechanically.
3. to crush and spread the top of (a piling, tent peg, etc.) by pounding or driving with a hammer or the like.
4. to brush (freshly poured concrete) with a broom to give a nonskid surface, as to walks or driveways.

verb (used without object)

1. (of a piling, tent peg, etc.) to be crushed and spread at the top from being driven.

broom

/ bruːm; brʊm /

noun

1. an implement for sweeping consisting of a long handle to which is attached either a brush of straw, bristles, or twigs, bound together, or a solid head into which are set tufts of bristles or fibres
2. any of various yellow-flowered Eurasian leguminous shrubs of the genera Cytisus , Genista , and Spartium , esp C. scoparius
3. any of various similar Eurasian plants of the related genera Genista and Spartium
4. new broom
   a newly appointed official, etc, eager to make changes

verb

1. tr to sweep with a broom

Pronunciation Note

Broom and room occur with the vowel [oo] of fool or [oo] of book. The first is the more common. The pronunciation with the [oo] of book is found in New England, eastern Virginia, and South Carolina and Georgia alongside the [oo] pronunciation. Farther west the [oo] pronunciation is more common, though the pronunciation with the vowel of book occurs everywhere with no marked regional or social pattern. Both pronunciations occur in British standard and folk speech. The pronunciation with [oo] predominates in the eastern counties, [oo] everywhere else. London lies on the boundary between the two types, and it is thus not surprising that [oo] is found in the United States in the coastal areas that had long and close contact with England.

Word History and Origins

Origin of broom¹

before 1000; Middle English brome, Old English brōm; cognate with Dutch braam bramble, German Bram broom

Word History and Origins

Origin of broom¹

Old English brōm ; related to Old High German brāmo , Middle Dutch bremme

Idioms and Phrases

see new broom sweeps clean .

Example Sentences

The team retrieved it using a contraption made from a rope and a broom handle.

From BBC

In response, Ms Abbott tweeted that Sir Mark was supposed to have been the “new broom” at the Met, but instead of offering a “new beginning” he had continued to support a “lack of police accountability”.

From BBC

Mr Sharif claimed that in 2016, Ms Batool had hit him on the head with a wooden lemon squeezer when he first wanted to leave and on another occasion attacked him with a broom.

From BBC

If TD Bank is to get a new broom, it’s unclear where it will come from.

From Los Angeles Times

It is a thorny decision given Van Nistelrooy’s beloved status among United’s fans – but this is surely about a fresh start, the new broom arriving from Lisbon and sweeping clean.

From BBC

Related Words

• mop