blow: A colloquialism for boastful talk, which is expressed less coarsely but with as much force by “bluster” or “brag.”
blowhard: A coarse term for “boaster” synonymous with windbag; not used by persons of refinement. Compare [WINDBAG].
boiled shirt: A slang phrase designating a white linen shirt. It originated in the Western States of America but its use is widespread among persons addicted to careless diction.
boost, to: A vulgarism for “to assist”; used also as a noun, as “He gave me a boost in business” for “He assisted me....”
borne, the past participle of bear, must not be confounded with the adjective born. “Man is born to sorrow, which may or may not be well borne.”
both: When both is used in a negative sentence, the meaning intended is sometimes doubtful. “Both applicants were not accepted.” Were both applicants rejected? Or, was one rejected and the other accepted? Or, was neither applicant accepted or rejected? A similar confusion of sense occurs in some negative sentences containing all, when not is misplaced; this practically contradicts the sense intended, or makes it ambiguous; as, all will not go, that is, not all will go—meaning some will and some will not go. “All were not of that mind” (probably) not all were of that mind, or (possibly) all were of a different mind or minds from the one spoken of. So, also, when all is used substantively. “All that glisters is not gold”—not all that glisters is gold. A peculiarity of both is that it can not be negatived by connecting not immediately with it, except elliptically in sentences of unusual form that are obviously arranged for the prevention of misunderstanding—as in correcting the doubtful meaning of the sentence cited above, “Both applicants were not accepted.” If one asks, in order to clear its confusing impression, “Were both rejected?” the reply may properly be, “Not both were rejected; one was rejected and one accepted”—a connection of not with both that is usually inadmissible. The confusion in meaning of a negative sentence containing both will be best avoided by making the sentence affirmative; “Both applicants were rejected,” “One of the two applicants was rejected and the other accepted,” etc.—Standard Dictionary.
both: As an adjective or pronoun both emphasizes the idea of two. It has been well defined as “the two, and not merely one of them”; it can not properly, therefore, be connected with or refer to more than two objects. As a conjunction, however, both has a more extended meaning and employment than it has as an adjective or a pronoun; thus, it is permissible to say, “He lost all his live stock—both horses, cows, and sheep.” Both, as so used, emphasizes the extent or comprehensiveness of the assertion. The use has been challenged, but has abundant literary authority, and antedates Chaucer.
both alike: A pleonasm. Two things may be alike but alike should not be used as an adjective. Both daughters may be like their mother, but to say they are both alike, meaning that they resemble each other, is incorrect. Both should never be used with alike.
bounce: A colloquialism for “discharge” or “eject forcibly,” an apt rather than an elegant term.