v., boast·ed, boast·ing, boasts. v.intr.
To glorify oneself in speech; talk in a self-admiring way.
v.tr.- To speak of with excessive pride.
- To possess or own (a desirable feature): “[the] capital of a region in the southeast that boasts bountiful coal fields” (US Air).
- To contain; have.
- The act or an instance of bragging.
- A source of pride.
[Middle English bosten, from bost, a brag.]
boaster boast'er n.boastful boast'ful adj.
boastfully boast'ful·ly adv.
boastfulness boast'ful·ness n.
SYNONYMS boast, brag, crow, vaunt. These verbs all mean to speak with pride, often excessive pride, about oneself or something related to oneself. Boast is the most general: “We confide [that is, have confidence] in our strength, without boasting of it; we respect that of others, without fearing it” (Thomas Jefferson). Brag implies exaggerated claims and often an air of insolent superiority: He bragged about his grades. Crow stresses exultation and often loud rejoicing: No candidate should crow until the votes have been counted. Vaunt suggests ostentatiousness and lofty extravagance of expression: “He did not vaunt of his new dignity, but I understood he was highly pleased with it” (James Boswell).
USAGE NOTE Some have objected to the use of boast as a transitive verb meaning “to possess or own (a desirable feature),” as in This network boasts an audience with a greater concentration of professionals and managers than any other broadcast vehicle. This usage is by now well established, however, and is acceptable to 62 percent of the Usage Panel.
boast2 (bōst)
tr.v., boast·ed, boast·ing, boasts.
To shape or form (stone) roughly with a broad chisel.
[Origin unknown.]
