different between further vs boost

English

Etymology

From Middle English further, forther, from Old English furþor (“further”, adverb), from Proto-West Germanic *furþer, from Proto-Indo-European *per- (a common preposition), equivalent to fore + -ther (a vestigial comparative ending still present in such words as other, either, whether, and, in altered form, in after); or as sometimes stated, as forth +? -er. Cognate with Scots forder, furder, Saterland Frisian foarder, West Frisian fierder, Dutch verder, German fürder.

Pronunciation

• enPR: fûr?th?r IPA^(key): /f??(?)ð?(?)/
• Rhymes: -??(r)ð?(r)

Alternative forms

• farther (See also the usage notes below.)

Verb

further (third-person singular simple present furthers, present participle furthering, simple past and past participle furthered)

1. (transitive) To help forward; to assist.
   • 1885, Richard F. Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 558:

     Upon this he brought me a cotton bag and giving it to me, said, "Take this bag and fill it with pebbles from the beach and go forth with a company of the townsfolk to whom I will give a charge respecting thee. Do as they do and belike thou shalt gain what may further thy return voyage to thy native land."

2. (transitive) To encourage growth; to support progress or growth of something; to promote.

Derived terms

• furtherance
• furtherment
• furthersome

Translations

Adjective

further (not comparable)

1. (comparative form of far) More distant; relatively distant.

   See those two lampposts? Run to the further one.

   He was standing at the further end of the corridor.

2. More, additional.

   I have one further comment to make.

Derived terms

• furtherdom
• furtherhood
• furtherness

Translations

Adverb

further (not comparable)

1. (comparative form of far) To, at or over a greater distance in space, time or other extent.
2. (comparative form of far) To a greater extent or degree.

   Of the two civilisations, this one was further advanced.

   I do not propose to discuss it any further. - Please, let me explain just a little further.

3. Beyond what is already stated or is already the case.

   Chapter 10 further explains the ideas introduced in Chapter 9.

   Don't confuse things further.

   Further, affiant sayeth naught. (A formal statement ending a deposition or affidavit, immediately preceding the affiant's signature.)
4. (conjunctive) Also; in addition; furthermore; moreover.

   It is overlong, and further, it makes no sense.

   • 1924, Aristotle, W. D. Ross (translator), Metaphysics, Book 1, Part 6,

     Further, besides sensible things and Forms he says there are the objects of mathematics, which occupy an intermediate position, […] .

5. (in the phrase 'further to') Following on (from).

   Further to our recent telephone call, I am writing to clarify certain points raised.

   This example is further to the one on page 17.

Derived terms

• furthermore

Translations

Usage notes

In respect of general adjectival and adverbial use, some usage guides distinguish farther and further, with farther referring to distance, and further referring to degree or time. Others, such as the OED, recommend farther as a comparative form of far and further for use when it is not comparative. However, most authorities consider the two interchangeable in most or all circumstances, and historically, they were not distinguished.

Farther is uncommon or old-fashioned in certain subsidiary senses, such as the adjectival sense of "more, additional" and the adverbial sense "moreover". It is virtually never used as a replacement for "further" in the phrase "further to".

As a verb, further greatly predominates over farther in modern English.

See also

• far

References

English

Etymology

Of unknown origin. 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”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bu?st/
• Rhymes: -u?st

Noun

boost (plural boosts)

1. A push from behind, as to one who is endeavoring to climb.
2. Something that helps, or adds power or effectiveness; assistance.

3. (physics) A coordinate transformation that changes velocity.
4. (automotive engineering) A positive intake manifold pressure in cars with turbochargers or superchargers.

Derived terms

• battery booster
• booster
• boosterism

Translations

Verb

boost (third-person singular simple present boosts, present participle boosting, simple past and past participle boosted)

1. (transitive) To lift or push from behind (one who is endeavoring to climb); to push up.
2. (transitive, by extension) 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. (slang, transitive) To steal.
   • 1978, Harold J. Vetter, Ira J. Silverman, The Nature of Crime (page 296)

     It is not at all unusual or suspicious for a woman to spend a good deal of the day out shopping, and feminine clothing styles often make it relatively easy for a female shoplifter to conceal "boosted" merchandise on her person.

4. (Canada, transitive) 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.
   • 1980, Popular Mechanics (volume 154, number 4, page 152)

     It's easy to boost a dead battery, but this can be dangerous if it's done the wrong way.

   • 2004, "Doug Mitchell", how to connect for boost? (on newsgroup alt.autos.gm)

     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?
5. (transitive, medicine) To give a booster shot to.
6. (transitive, engineering) To amplify; to signal boost.

Usage notes

• This is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing). See Appendix:English catenative verbs

Derived terms

• overboost
• upboost

Translations

Anagrams

• Boots, boots, botos