boost

[boost]

verb (used with object)

1. to lift or raise by pushing from behind or below.

2. to advance or aid by speaking well of; promote.

   She always boosts her hometown.

3. to increase; raise.

   to boost prices;

   to boost the horsepower of the car by 20 percent.

4. to administer a booster shot to.

   Have you and your family been boosted yet?

5. Slang.,  to steal, especially to shoplift.

   Two computers were boosted from the office last night.

verb (used without object)

1. Slang.,  to engage in stealing, especially shoplifting.

noun

1. an upward shove or raise; lift.

2. an increase; rise.

   There's been a tremendous boost in food prices.

   Synonyms: uptick, upswing, upsurge, growth, hike

3. an act, remark, or the like, that helps one's progress, morale, efforts, etc..

   His pep talk was the boost our team needed.

boost

/ buːst /

noun

1. encouragement, improvement, or help

   a boost to morale

2. an upward thrust or push

   he gave him a boost over the wall

3. an increase or rise

   a boost in salary

4. a publicity campaign; promotion

5. the amount by which the induction pressure of a supercharged internal-combustion engine exceeds that of the ambient pressure

verb

1. to encourage, assist, or improve

   to boost morale

2. to lift by giving a push from below or behind

3. to increase or raise

   to boost the voltage in an electrical circuit

4. to cause to rise; increase

   to boost sales

5. to advertise on a big scale

6. to increase the induction pressure of (an internal-combustion engine) above that of the ambient pressure; supercharge

boost

1. A linear map from one reference frame to another in which each coordinate is increased or decreased by an independent constant or linear function. A boost corresponds to a shift of the entire coordinate system without any rotation of its axes.

Word History and Origins

Origin of boost¹

An Americanism dating back to 1815–25; perhaps Scots dialect boose (variant of pouss push ) + (hoi)st

Word History and Origins

Origin of boost¹

C19: of unknown origin

Example Sentences

Max Verstappen gave his Formula One world title hopes a boost with victory in the US Grand Prix sprint race on Saturday after both McLaren drivers crashed out.

Read more on Barron's

According to City Hall, one in six jobs in London are in the creative sector, with cultural tourism boosting the economy by an estimated £7.3bn annually.

Read more on BBC

Saturated fat also boosts the level of triglycerides in the blood.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Aiming to boost their lesser-known liberal white allies in politics, Black celebrities conveyed these messages while facing the very real threat of blacklisting and extrajudicial violence.

Read more on Salon

Market concentration among the “Magnificent Seven” megacap tech stocks has reached record levels, and the AI theme has boosted valuations across all parts of the economy.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• addition 
• advance 
• breakthrough 
• expansion 
• hike 
• improvement 
• increment 
• jump 
• lift 
• rise