bookshop
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book·shop /'bUkSOp||-SA:p/ especially BrE || book·store
/-stO:r/ especially AmE — n a shop where books are sold ->
compare LIBRARY
book·stall /'bUkstO:l/ n a table or small shop open at the
front, where books, magazines etc are shown for sale
'book ,token n BrE a gift card for a certain value that can be
exchanged for books at a bookshop: a £5 book token
book·worm /'bUkw3:m||-w3:rm/ n derog a person who is too
fond of reading and study
Boo·le·an op·er·a·tor /,bu:liən 'OpəreItə||-'ɑ:p-/ n a
word used in searching for information by means of a
computer PROGRAM. Boolean operators include words like
'and', 'or', and 'not', and they help you to be more specific
about what you are searching for.
boom¹ /bu:m/ v 1 [;T(OUT)] to make (with) a deep hollow
sound: The guns boomed. | a loud booming voice | The
foghorn boomed out its warning. 2 [I] to grow rapidly in
activity, value, or importance: Business is booming.
boom² n 1 a booming sound or cry: The new aircraft creates
a sonic boom. 2 a (period of) rapid growth or increase:
There's been a boom in exports this year. | the post-war baby
boom | The big tax cuts fuelled a consumer boom. | a boom
town (=where wealth and population are growing very fast)
boom³ n 1 a long pole a) on a boat, to which a sail is
fastened b) used as part of an apparatus for loading and
unloading c) on the end of which a camera or MICROPHONE
can be moved about 2 a heavy chain fixed across a river to
stop things (especially logs) floating down or prevent ships
sailing up
'boom box n AmE infml a GHETTO BLASTER
boo·mer·ang¹ /'bu:məræŋ/ n a curved stick which makes a
circle and comes back when thrown, used by Australian
ABORIGINES as a hunting weapon
boomerang² v [I(on)] (of a plan) to cause sudden unexpected
harm to the person who made it; have the opposite result to
what was intended; BACKFIRE: His plan to reduce the number
of workers boomeranged (on him), and he lost his own job.
boon /bu:n/ n 1 [C usually sing.] fml something very helpful or
useful: The radio is a great boon to the blind. 2 old use a
favour: to ask a boon of someone
,boon com'panion n [usually pl.] a good close friend
boon·docks /'bu:ndOks||-dɑ:ks/ also boo·nies /'bu:niz/ n
[the P] AmE infml humor a rough country area far from any town,
where few people live
boon·dog·gle /'bu:n,dOgəl||-,dɑ:-/ n [S] AmE infml an offi-
cially organized plan or activity that is very complicated and
wastes a lot of time, money, and effort
Boone, Daniel /bu:n/ (1734-1820) one of the first white
Americans to go to Kentucky, where he started to build a
town, so that other people could start living there. In
pictures he is usually shown wearing a hat made of RAC-
COON skin.
boor /bUə/ n a rude insensitive person, especially a man
—ish adj —ishly adv —ishness n [U] She was revolted by
his utter boorishness.
boost¹ /bu:st/ v [T] 1 [(UP)] to lift by pushing up from below:
If you boost me up, I can just reach the window. 2 to increase;
raise: These changes will help to boost share
prices/profits/demand. | plans to boost production by 30%
next year 3 to help to advance or improve; encourage: We
need a holiday to boost our spirits. | She's always trying to
boost his ego by telling him how clever he is. 4 infml, especially
AmE to help or favour the interests of, especially by speech
and writing; PLUG: a special promotion to boost their new
product
boost² n [C usually sing.] 1 a push upwards 2 an increase or
improvement: This has given share prices a big boost. 3 an
act that brings help or encouragement: That holiday has
given her spirits a boost. | an ego-boost
boost·er /'bu:stə/ n 1 a person or machine that boosts:
When the boosters have helped to lift a space station into orbit,
they separate from it and return to Earth. 2 an additional
amount of a drug, to strengthen the effect of some of the
same drug that was given earlier: This injection will protect
you against the disease, but after six months you'll need a
booster. 3 infml, especially AmE a person who is very much in
favour of something or someone
boot¹ /bu:t/ n 1 [C usually pl.] a covering of leather or rubber
for the foot and ankle, usually heavier and thicker than a
shoe: He laced up his boots. | army boots | a pair of football
boots -> see also WELLINGTON 2 [C] BrE || trunk AmE — an
enclosed space at the back of a car for bags and boxes -> see
picture at CAR 3 [C usually sing.] infml a kick with the
foot 4 [the] slang the taking away of someone's job by an
employer; DISMISSAL; SACK: They gave her the boot for
continually being late. | She got the boot. 5 put the boot in
slang, especially BrE to kick someone hard, usually when they
are already on the ground 6 the boot is on the other foot
infml the situation has changed to the opposite of what it was
before -> see also BOOTS, too big for one's boots (BIG), die
with one's boots on (DIE¹)
boot² v [T+obj+adv/prep] infml 1 to kick: He booted the ball across
the field. 2 [T] AmE for CLAMP: Watch out! They're booting cars
today.
boot sbdy. <-> out phr v [T] infml to send away rudely and
sometimes with force, especially from a job: They booted him
out for being drunk at work.
boot³ n tech the action of loading an OPERATING SYSTEM for a
computer from a DISK into the computer's memory —boot v
[T(UP)]
boot⁴ n to boot old use or humor (often of something unpleas-
ant) besides; in addition: He is dishonest, and a coward to
boot.
boot·black /'bu:tblæk/ n becoming rare a person who cleans
and polishes shoes, especially in the street for money
'boot camp n a training camp for people who have just
joined the US navy, army, or Marine Corps
boot·ed /'bu:tId/ adj having boots of a stated type: black
booted soldiers
boot·ee /'bu:ti:, bu:'ti:/ n [usually pl.] a baby's woollen boot
booth /bu:T||bu:θ/ n 1 (at a market or FAIR) a tent or small
building where goods are sold or games are played 2 a small
enclosed place for one person: a telephone booth | a voting
booth | a listening booth in a record shop 3 a partly enclosed
place in a restaurant with a table between two long seats
Booth, John Wilkes /dZOn wIlks||dZɑ:n-/ (1838-65) the
man who shot and killed US President Abraham Lincoln
Booth, William (1829-1912) a British religious leader who
started the SALVATION ARMY
Booth-royd, Bet·ty /'bu: TrOId, 'beti/ (1929-) a British poli-
tician who was a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party
for many years. From 1992 until 2000 she was the SPEAKER
(=the person responsible for controlling discussions) of the
House of Commons. She was the first woman to have this
job, and was famous for keeping control of the House
where most of the members are men. In 2001 she was given
a LIFE PEERAGE and took her seat in the House of Lords. Her
official title is Baroness Boothroyd of Sandwell.
boot·lace /'bu:tləs/ n [usually pl.] a LACE for boots
boot·leg /'bu:tlæg/ v -gg- [I;T] to make, carry, or sell (espe-
cially alcoholic drink) illegally. In the US, bootlegging is often
connected with the time of PROHIBITION (1920-33), when
alcohol was forbidden except for medicinal or religious
purposes. —bootleg adj: bootleg records/whisky —ger n
boot·less /'bu:tləs/ adj lit bringing no advantage/useless:
bootless care
Boots /bu:ts/ trademark a British shop in almost every town in
the UK, where you can buy medicines, soap, MAKE-UP etc and
have photographic film made into photographs.
'boot sale BrE also 'boot fair, car boot sale BrE
garage sale or yard sale AmE — n a sale in a car park,
school, or other open space, where a number of people sell
things, especially SECOND-HAND things, from the BOOTS of
their cars. In the US, garage or yard sales are held in and
around the garage or YARD (=garden) of the seller.
boot·straps /'bu:tstræps/ n haul/pull oneself up by one's
own bootstraps infml improve yourself or your situation by
your own efforts, without help from anyone else
boot·y /'bu:ti/ n [U] especially lit goods stolen by thieves or
taken by a victorious army: to share out/divide up the booty