boost

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

boost, v. t. [Cf. Boast, v. i.].

 To lift or push from behind (one who is endeavoring to climb); to push up; hence, to assist in overcoming obstacles, or in making advancement.  [1913 Webster]

boost, n. 

 A push from behind, as to one who is endeavoring to climb; help.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

boost, v. & n. colloq.
--v.tr.
1 a promote or increase the reputation of (a person, scheme, commodity, etc.) by praise or advertising; push; increase or assist (boosted his spirits; boost sales). b push from below; assist (boosted me up the tree).
2 a raise the voltage in (an electric circuit etc.). b amplify (a radio signal).
--n.
1 an act, process, or result of boosting; a push (asked for a boost up the hill).
2 a an advertisement campaign. b the resulting advance in value, reputation, etc.

Etymology

19th-c. US word: orig. unkn.

THESAURUS

boost

Great Leap Forward, a leg up, abstract, access, accession, accretion, accrual, accruement, acculturate, accumulation, acknowledgment, add to, addition, advance, advancement, advantage, advertise, advocate, aggrandize, aggrandizement, aid, ameliorate, amelioration, amend, amendment, amplification, amplify, and, animate, annex, appreciation, appropriate, ascent, assault, assist, assistance, augment, augmentation, back, bag, ballooning, ballyhoo, bark, bear, bear upon, bearing, beef up, better, bettering, betterment, bill, bloating, blurb, boom, borrow, breakthrough, brighten, bring forward, broaden, broadening, buck, build, build up, buildup, bull, bulldoze, bulletin, bump, bump against, bunt, buoy up, butt, butt against, cast up, cheer, circularize, civilize, commend, commendation, conduce to, contribute to, cop, cram, crescendo, crib, crowd, cry up, defraud, development, dig, drive, edema, edify, educate, elbow, elevate, elevation, embezzle, emend, encourage, encouragement, enhance, enhancement, enlarge, enlargement, enlighten, enliven, ennoblement, enrich, enrichment, erect, escalate, establish, eugenics, euthenics, exalt, exaltation, exhilarate, expand, expansion, expedite, extend, extension, extort, facilitate, fatten, favor, filch, fill out, flood, force, forward, foster, further, furtherance, gain, give a lift, give a write-up, give publicity, gladden, go straight, goad, good word, graduation, greatening, growth, gush, hand, hasten, head, headway, hearten, heave, heft, heighten, heist, help, helping hand, hike, hike up, hoick, hoist, hold up, honorable mention, hook, hurtle, hustle, hype, improve, improve upon, improvement, increase, increment, inflate, inflation, inspire, inspirit, invigorate, jab, jack up, jam, jerk up, jog, joggle, jolt, jostle, jump, jump up, knighting, knock up, lard, leap, leg, leg up, lend wings to, lengthen, levitate, lift, lift up, liven, lob, loft, magnify, make an improvement, make for, make off with, maximize, meliorate, melioration, mend, mending, mounting, multiplication, multiply, nip, nudge, nurture, palm, parlay, passing, pay raise, perk up, pick up, pickup, pile drive, pilfer, pinch, placard, plug, poach, poke, post, post bills, post up, preferment, press, press-agent, pressure, prod, productiveness, progress, progression, proliferation, promote, promotion, publicize, puff, punch, purloin, push, push forward, put forward, put up, pyramid, quicken, raise, raise up, ram, ram down, rattle, rear, rear up, recognition, recommend, recovery, refine upon, reform, rejoice, rejoice the heart, restoration, revival, rise, run, run against, run away with, rustle, scrounge, sell, set forward, set up, shake, shoplift, shoulder, shove, sky, snare, snatch, snitch, snowballing, socialize, speak highly of, speak warmly of, speak well of, speed, spiel, spread, steal, stick up, straighten out, stress, support, surge, swelling, swindle, swipe, take, tamp, thicken, thieve, throw up, thrust, tout, transfigure, transform, tumescence, up, upbeat, upbuoy, upcast, upgrade, upgrading, upheave, uphoist, uphold, uplift, upping, upraise, uprear, upsurge, upswing, upthrow, uptrend, upturn, upward mobility, vitalize, walk off with, wax, waxing, widening, write up

ROGET THESAURUS

boost

Impulse

N impulse, sudden thought, impromptu, improvisation, inspiration, flash, spurt, improvisatore, creature of impulse, extemporaneous, impulsive, indeliberate, snap, improvised, improvisate, improvisatory, unpremeditated, unmeditated, improvise, unprompted, unguided, natural, unguarded, spontaneous, instinctive, extempore, extemporaneously, offhand, impromptu, a limproviste, improviso, on the spur of the moment, on the spur of the occasion, impulse, impulsion, impetus, momentum, push, pulsion, thrust, shove, jog, jolt, brunt, booming, boost, throw, explosion, propulsion, percussion, concussion, collision, occursion, clash, encounter, cannon, carambole, appulse, shock, crash, bump, impact, elan, charge, beating, blow, dint, stroke, knock, tap, rap, slap, smack, pat, dab, fillip, slam, bang, hit, whack, thwack, cuff, squash, dowse, swap, whap, punch, thump, pelt, kick, punce, calcitration, ruade, arietation, cut, thrust, lunge, yerk, carom, carrom, clip, jab, plug, sidewinder, sidewipe, sideswipe, hammer, sledge hammer, mall, maul, mallet, flail, ram, rammer, battering ram, monkey, pile-driving engine, punch, bat, cant hook, cudgel, ax, dynamics, seismometer, accelerometer, earthquake detector, impelling, impulsive, impellent, booming, dynamic, dynamical, impelled, a hit, a very palpable hit.

VB flash on the mind, say what comes uppermost, improvise, extemporize, give an impetus, impel, push, start, give a start to, set going, drive, urge, boom, thrust, prod, foin, cant, elbow, shoulder, jostle, justle, hustle, hurtle, shove, jog, jolt, encounter, run against, bump against, butt against, knock one's head against, run one's head against, impinge, boost, bunt, carom, clip y, fan, fan out, jab, plug, strike, knock, hit, tap, rap, slap, flap, dab, pat, thump, beat, blow, bang, slam, dash, punch, thwack, whack, hit hard, strike hard, swap, batter, dowse, baste, pelt, patter, buffet, belabor, fetch one a blow, poke at, pink, lunge, yerk, kick, calcitrate, butt, strike at, whip, come into a collision, enter into collision, collide, sideswipe, foul, fall foul of, run foul of, telescope, throw.