boom

Universal Words noun, verb noun in business / economy 1 ~ (in sth) a sudden increase in trade and economic activity; a period of wealth and success: a boom in car sales * Living standards improved rapidly during the post-war boom. * a boom year (for trade, exports, etc.) * a property / housing boom * a chaotic period of boom and bust compareSLUMP seealsoBABYBOOM popular period 2 [usuallysing.] a period when sth such as a sport or a type of music suddenly becomes very popular and successful: The only way to satisfy the golf boom was to build more courses. on boat 3 a long pole that the bottom of a sail is attached to and that you move to change the position of the sail sound 4 [usuallysing.] a loud deep sound: the distant boom of the guns seealsoSONICBOOM in river / harbour 5 a floating barrier that is placed across a river or the entrance to a harbour to prevent ships or other objects from coming in or going out for microphone 6 a long pole that carries a MICROPHONE or other equipment verb make loud sound 1 [V] to make a loud deep sound: Outside, thunder boomed and crashed. 2 ~ (out) to say sth in a loud deep voice: [Vspeech] 'Get out of my sight!' he boomed. * [V] A voice boomed out from the darkness. of business / economy 3 [V] to have a period of rapid growth; to become bigger, more successful, etc: By the 1980s, the computer industry was booming. * Business is booming!