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boast 1 (bōst)
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v. boast·ed, boast·ing, boasts
v.intr.
To talk or write about oneself or something related to oneself in a proud or self-admiring way.
v.tr.
1. To say (something about oneself) in a proud or self-admiring way.
2. To have or possess (a desirable feature): a mall that boasts 80 shops.
n.
1. The act or an instance of boasting: got tired of listening to his boasts.
2. A source of pride.

[Middle English bosten, from bost, a brag.]

boaster n.
boastful adj.
boastful·ly adv.
boastful·ness n.

Synonyms: boast1, brag, crow2, 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).

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
boast 2 (bōst)
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tr.v. boast·ed, boast·ing, boasts
To shape or form (stone) roughly with a broad chisel.

[Origin unknown.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.