I. ˈbōst noun
Etymology: Middle English boost
Date: 14th century
1. : the act or an instance of boasting : brag
2. : a cause for pride
• boast·ful ˈbōst-fəl adjective
• boast·ful·ly -fə-lē adverb
• boast·ful·ness noun
II. verb
Date: 14th century
intransitive verb
1. : to puff oneself up in speech : speak vaingloriously
2. archaic : glory , exult
transitive verb
1. : to speak of or assert with excessive pride
2.
a. : to possess and often call attention to (something that is a source of pride)
boast s a new stadium
b. : have , contain
a room boast ing no more than a desk and a chair
• boast·er noun
Synonyms:
boast , brag , vaunt , crow mean to express pride in oneself or one's accomplishments. boast often suggests ostentation and exaggeration
boasts of every trivial success
but it may imply a claiming with proper and justifiable pride
the town boasts one of the best museums in the area
brag suggests crudity and artlessness in glorifying oneself
bragging of their exploits
vaunt usually connotes more pomp and bombast than boast and less crudity or naïveté than brag
vaunted his country's military might
crow usually implies exultant boasting or bragging
crowed after winning the championship
III. transitive verb
Etymology: origin unknown
Date: 1823
: to shape (stone) roughly in sculpture and stonecutting as a preliminary to finer work