boom (medicine) and barren(2) (iou)

boom (medicine)

boom

1. A long pole or spar, run out for the purpose of extending the bottom of a particular sail; as, the jib boom, the studding-sail boom, etc.

2. <mechanics> A long spar or beam, projecting from the mast of a derrick, from the outer end of which the body to be lifted is suspended.

3. A pole with a conspicuous top, set up to mark the channel in a river or harbor.

4. <astronomy> A strong chain cable, or line of spars bound together, extended across a river or the mouth of a harbor, to obstruct navigation or passage.

5. A line of connected floating timbers stretched across a river, or inclosing an area of water, to keep saw logs, etc, from floating away. Boom iron, one of the iron rings on the yards through which the studding-sail booms traverse. The booms, that space on the upper deck of a ship between the foremast and mainmast, where the boats, spare spars, etc, are stowed.

Origin: D. Boom tree, pole, beam, bar. See Beam.

Source: Websters Dictionary

barren(2) (iou)

barren adjective & noun. ME.
[Anglo-Norman barai(g)ne from Old French bar(a)haine, brehai(g)ne (mod. brehaigne), of unkn. origin.]
A. adjective. (Foll. by of.)
1. Of a woman: incapable of bearing children; infertile. ME.
2. Of an animal: not pregnant at the usual season. ME.
3. Of a tree or plant: not producing fruit or seed. LME.
barren strawberry: see STRAWBERRY 2.
4. Of land: producing little vegetation; unproductive; infertile. LME.
5. Destitute of interest or attraction; arid; dull. LME.
6. Producing no result; fruitless; unprofitable. M16.
7. Of a person: unresponsive; dull. L16.
Comb.: barrenwort a low rhizomatous herb of the barberry family, Epimedium alpinum, once thought to cause sterility.
B. noun.
1. A barren woman or animal. Long dial. rare. ME.
2. A tract of barren land, esp. (freq. in pl. and with specifying word) in N. America. M17.
oak-barrens, pine-barrens, etc.
barrenly adverb M16.
barrenness [-n-n-] noun ME.

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