boom

¹ American  

[boom] / bum /

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 byout ).

   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 American  

[boom] / bum /

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.

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 oroff ).

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.

idioms

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

   The government has lowered the boom on tax evaders.

boom ¹ British  

/ 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 British  

/ 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

---

boom More Idioms  

1. see lower the boom.

---

Usage

What does boom mean? A boom is a deep, loud, resonant sound that echoes or travels rapidly, like the sound of thunder.To boom is to create such a sound, as in The thunder boomed overhead, which scared our poor dog.A boom is also a rapid increase in prices, development, numbers, and the like, as in Thanks to the new majors, the college is experiencing a boom in student enrollment. When an entire economy goes through a period of quick growth, that, too, is a boom.To boom is also to grow rapidly, as a business or economy might, as in Houses are selling so fast that the housing market is booming.Example: There was a loud boom from around the corner and then a few minutes later there were police cars coming from everywhere.

Other Word Forms

• boomingly adverb
• boomless adjective

Etymology

Origin of boom¹

First recorded in 1400–50; 1910–15 boom ¹ for def. 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

Example Sentences

There’s a familiar smell to the data center boom in West Virginia.

From Salon

Now firms are reluctant to accept meager returns—and lower performance-based compensation for employees—on companies they bought at generous valuations during the boom times.

From The Wall Street Journal

The country is now embarking on an expensive building boom, sparking outrage at unsightly transmission towers and the potential harm to bats, dormice and other local wildlife.

From The Wall Street Journal

In rough seas, the ships rock so hard the cranes’ booms, some of which stretch more than 200 feet, seem to almost touch the water.

From The Wall Street Journal

It was one of the best calls of the year as a cratering dollar and booming markets meant stocks in the U.K.,

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• advance
• boost
• development
• expansion
• gain
• growth
• improvement
• increase
• inflation
• jump
• rush
• spurt
• upsurge
• upturn