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 1871. G. Meredith, Harry Richmond, ch. xxxviii., p. 346 (1886). 'And now top your boom, and to bed here.'

Boomer, subs. (American).—1. One who booms or causes an enterprise to become flourishing, active or notorious. [From boom, subs., + er.]

1888. Times, Sept. 26, p. 8. [He] is a North-Western boomer of great earnestness. [m.]

1885. Boston (Mass.) Journal, Aug. 19, p. 2, col. 4. The Oklahoma boomers. [m.]

2. Attributively applied to anybody or anything considerably above the average. Thus, what English people would call a bouncing lie, an American, if given to slang, would call a boomer; so also a fine woman, a horse with extra good points, etc., etc.

Boomerang, subs. (American).—Figuratively used to signify acts or words, the results of which recoil upon the person from whom they originate. The boomerang is properly an Australian missile weapon which, when thrown, can be made to return to the thrower; or which, likewise, can be caused to take an opposite direction to that in which it is first thrown.

1845. Holmes, Modest Request, Poems (1884), 42. Like the strange weapon, which the Australian throws, Your verbal boomerang slaps you on the nose. [m.]

1870. Lowell, Among My Books, I S. (1873), 219. The boomerang of argument, which one throws in the opposite direction of what he means to hit. [m.]

Booming, ppl. adj. (American).—Flourishing; active; in good form; large; astonishing.—See Boom and Boomer in all senses.

Boom-Passenger, subs. (nautical).—A sailor's slang term for a convict on board ship. Derived from the circumstance that prisoners on board convict ships were chained to, or were made to crawl along or stand on the booms for exercise or punishment.—Hotten.

Boon-Companion, subs. (colloquial).—A comrade in a drinking bout; a good fellow. [Boon is evidently a corruption of the French bon.]

1566. Drant, Med. Morall, A. v. He is my bone companion, it's he that cheares up me. [m.]

1592. Greene, Quip, in wks. XI., 220. To seeke good consortes and boone companions to passe away the day withall.

1594. Nashe, Terrors of the Night, in wks. III., 228. Our Poets or boone companions they are out of question.

1600. W. Kemp, Nine Days' Wonder, in Arber's English Garner, vol. VII., p. 27. And coming to my inn, where the host was a very boon companion, I desired to see him.

1712. Arbuthnot, History of John Bull, pt. I., ch. v. This was occasioned by his being a boon companion, loving his bottle and his diversion.

1825. Scott, St. Ronan's Well, ch. xxiii. The morning after a debauch is usually one of reflection, even to the most customary boon companion.

1827. Lytton, Pelham, ch. lxvii. We went downstairs to our dinner, as charmed with each other as boon companions always should be.

Boon-Companionship, subs. (colloquial).—Jollity; conviviality.—See Boon-companion.

1592. Nashe, Strange Newes, in wks. II., 176. Thinke not, though vnder correction Of your boone-companionship, I am disposd to be a little pleasant, I condemne you of anie immoderation, either in eating or drinking.

1849. Lytton, Caxtons, pt. XII., ch. iv. A little society, and boon-companionship would take Roland out of those gloomy reveries.