Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Boast?

\Boast\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Boasted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Boasting}.] [OE. bosten, boosten, v., bost, boost, n., noise, boasting; cf. G. bausen, bauschen, to swell, pusten, Dan. puste, Sw. pusta, to blow, Sw. p["o]sa to swell; or W. bostio to boast, bost boast, Gael. bosd. But these last may be from English.] 1. To vaunt one's self; to brag; to say or tell things which are intended to give others a high opinion of one's self or of things belonging to one's self; as, to boast of one's exploits courage, descent, wealth. By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: . . not of works, lest any man should boast. --Eph. ii. 8, 9. 2. To speak in exulting language of another; to glory; to exult. In God we boast all the day long. --Ps. xliv. 8 Syn: To brag; bluster; vapor; crow; talk big.
\Boast\, v. t. 1. To display in ostentatious language; to speak of with pride, vanity, or exultation, with a view to self-commendation; to extol. Lest bad men should boast Their specious deeds. --Milton. 2. To display vaingloriously. 3. To possess or have; as, to boast a name. {To boast one's self}, to speak with unbecoming confidence in, and approval of, one's self; -- followed by of and the thing to which the boasting relates. [Archaic] Boast not thyself of to-morrow. --Prov. xxvii. 1
\Boast\, v. t. [Of uncertain etymology.] 1. (Masonry) To dress, as a stone, with a broad chisel. --Weale. 2. (Sculp.) To shape roughly as a preparation for the finer work to follow; to cut to the general form required.
\Boast\, n. 1. Act of boasting; vaunting or bragging. Reason and morals? and where live they most, In Christian comfort, or in Stoic boast! --Byron. 2. The cause of boasting; occasion of pride or exultation, -- sometimes of laudable pride or exultation. The boast of historians. --Macaulay.