broom

American  

[broom, broom] / brum, brʊm /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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. a newly appointed official, etc, eager to make changes

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verb

1. (tr) to sweep with a broom

broom Idioms  

1. see new broom sweeps clean.

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Pronunciation

Broom and room occur with the vowel of fool or of book. The first is the more common. The pronunciation with the of book is found in New England, eastern Virginia, and South Carolina and Georgia alongside the pronunciation. Farther west the 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 predominates in the eastern counties, everywhere else. London lies on the boundary between the two types, and it is thus not surprising that is found in the United States in the coastal areas that had long and close contact with England.

Etymology

Origin of broom

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

Example Sentences

One or two players from the throwing team use carbon-fiber brooms to sweep the ice in front of the moving stone, influencing its path and speed.

From Los Angeles Times

Laughing, Lisa said anytime you saw him coming, you grabbed a broom and started sweeping.

From Los Angeles Times

The case was closed without further action by public health inspectors after the on-site manager clarified that only janitorial staff handle brooms and mops, and chefs and cooks do not, according to the report.

From Los Angeles Times

He stood shin deep with a broom and grabber tool clearing a drain while his chief of staff captured the moment.

From The Wall Street Journal

Suddenly, this golden-retriever lifer began to fall for a sweet little thing as cuddly as a broom.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• mop