1871. G. Meredith, Harry Richmond, ch. xxxviii., p. 346 (1886). 'And now top your boom, and to bed here.'
Boomer, subs. (American).—1.
One who booms or causes an
enterprise to become flourishing,
active or notorious. [From
boom, subs., + er.]
1888. Times, Sept. 26, p. 8. [He] is a North-Western boomer of great earnestness. [m.]
1885. Boston (Mass.) Journal, Aug. 19, p. 2, col. 4. The Oklahoma boomers. [m.]
2. Attributively applied to anybody or anything considerably above the average. Thus, what English people would call a bouncing lie, an American, if given to slang, would call a boomer; so also a fine woman, a horse with extra good points, etc., etc.
Boomerang, subs. (American).—Figuratively
used to signify
acts or words, the results of
which recoil upon the person
from whom they originate. The
boomerang is properly an
Australian missile weapon
which, when thrown, can be
made to return to the
thrower; or which, likewise,
can be caused to take an
opposite direction to that in
which it is first thrown.
1845. Holmes, Modest Request, Poems (1884), 42. Like the strange weapon, which the Australian throws, Your verbal boomerang slaps you on the nose. [m.]
1870. Lowell, Among My Books, I S. (1873), 219. The boomerang of argument, which one throws in the opposite direction of what he means to hit. [m.]
Booming, ppl. adj. (American).—Flourishing;
active; in good
form; large; astonishing.—See
Boom and Boomer in all senses.
Boom-Passenger, subs. (nautical).—A
sailor's slang term for a convict
on board ship. Derived
from the circumstance that
prisoners on board convict ships
were chained to, or were made
to crawl along or stand on the
booms for exercise or punishment.—Hotten.
Boon-Companion, subs. (colloquial).—A
comrade in a drinking
bout; a good fellow. [Boon
is evidently a corruption of the
French bon.]
1566. Drant, Med. Morall, A. v. He is my bone companion, it's he that cheares up me. [m.]
1592. Greene, Quip, in wks. XI., 220. To seeke good consortes and boone companions to passe away the day withall.
1594. Nashe, Terrors of the Night, in wks. III., 228. Our Poets or boone companions they are out of question.
1600. W. Kemp, Nine Days' Wonder, in Arber's English Garner, vol. VII., p. 27. And coming to my inn, where the host was a very boon companion, I desired to see him.
1712. Arbuthnot, History of John Bull, pt. I., ch. v. This was occasioned by his being a boon companion, loving his bottle and his diversion.
1825. Scott, St. Ronan's Well, ch. xxiii. The morning after a debauch is usually one of reflection, even to the most customary boon companion.
1827. Lytton, Pelham, ch. lxvii. We went downstairs to our dinner, as charmed with each other as boon companions always should be.
Boon-Companionship, subs. (colloquial).—Jollity;
conviviality.—See
Boon-companion.
1592. Nashe, Strange Newes, in wks. II., 176. Thinke not, though vnder correction Of your boone-companionship, I am disposd to be a little pleasant, I condemne you of anie immoderation, either in eating or drinking.
1849. Lytton, Caxtons, pt. XII., ch. iv. A little society, and boon-companionship . . . would take Roland out of those gloomy reveries.
