boost

Forms

1.A push from behind or below, as to one who is endeavoring to climb.
2.Something that helps, or adds power or effectiveness; assistance.
- The controversy gave a boost to the author's sales.
3.A coordinate transformation that changes velocity.
4.A positive intake manifold pressure in cars with turbochargers or superchargers.

1.To lift or push from behind (one who is endeavoring to climb); to push up.
- Gaddis found that with his broken arm, he couldn't climb the wall. Josh grabbed his foot and boosted him up.
2.To help or encourage (something) to increase or improve; to assist in overcoming obstacles.
- This campaign will boost your chances of winning the election.
3.To steal.(slang)
- One time Noojie had to spend a weekend in jail for boosting and the four of us was left at the crib with Killer.
4.To jump-start a vehicle by using cables to connect the battery in a running vehicle to the battery in a vehicle that won't start.
- It's easy to boost a dead battery, but this can be dangerous if it's done the wrong way.
- Virtue is therefore like boosting one car battery from another: you want to connect positive to positive and negative to negative.
- If I want to use the charged Montana battery to boost my old Summit where do I connect the negative cable on the good battery of the Montana?

Uncommon· #3958

Unknown.

The verb is first recorded 1815; the noun, 1825.

Compare Scots boost (“to move; drive off; shoo away”), bost, boast (“to threaten; scold”), Middle English boosten, bosten (“to threaten”).

Possible doublet of boast.