Etymologically
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boost

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /buːst/[1]

Etymology

It is an American word of unknown origin.[2][3][4][5] Barnhart finds a link with earlier bouse “to haul ship's rigging” (1593) strained, since the first recorded sense was raising someone in rank or honour.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

To lift or raise by pushing from behind, both literally and figuratively: 1815, in David Humphreys's The Yankey in England, which defines it as “raise up, lift up, exalt”.[3][2][6]

Semantic evolution

The noun, a lift or upward push, is by 1825,[2][3][6] and later help or encouragement, especially by publicity.[6][7] In electricity, to increase the voltage of a circuit is from 1906,[6] and the supercharging of an engine from 1931.[6] In American slang, to steal or shoplift is from 1912.[6] Booster followed in the 19th century.[3]

Timeline

  • 1815 – verb, to lift, raise.[3][6]
  • 1825 – noun, a push up.[2][6]
  • 1906 – in electricity.[6]
  • 1912 – to shoplift (slang).[6]
  • 1931 – engine supercharging.[6]

Modern meaning

Verb

  1. To increase or raise something: boost sales.
  2. To help or encourage: boost morale.
  3. To push up from below.
  4. To promote vigorously.
  5. (slang) To shoplift.

Noun

  1. An increase or rise.
  2. Something that helps or encourages.
  3. An upward push.

Word family

  • booster
  • boosterism

Usage notes

In Scots and northern English dialect, boost or buist is a contraction of behoves, meaning “must, ought”.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  4. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  8. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)