boom

1
[ boom ]
See synonyms for: boomboomedbooming on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)
  1. to make a deep, prolonged, resonant sound.

  2. to move with a resounding rush or great impetus.

  1. 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)
  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.

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

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

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

  4. a rise in popularity, as of a political candidate.

adjective
  1. caused by or characteristic of a boom: boom prices.

Origin of boom

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

Other words for boom

Other words from boom

  • boom·ing·ly, adverb

Words Nearby boom

Other definitions for boom (2 of 2)

boom2
[ 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.

    • 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.

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

  2. the area thus shut off.

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

  4. (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.

Origin of boom

2
First recorded in 1660–65; from Dutch: literally, “tree, pole”; see origin at beam

Other words from boom

  • boomless, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use boom in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for boom (1 of 2)

boom1

/ (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

  1. 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)

  2. any similar period of high activity

  3. the activity itself: a baby boom

Origin of boom

1
C15: perhaps from Dutch bommen, of imitative origin

British Dictionary definitions for boom (2 of 2)

boom2

/ (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

  1. 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

Origin of boom

2
C16: from Dutch boom tree, beam

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with boom

boom

see lower the boom.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.