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.
pösa 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.
