v (1) 自夸，夸口(耀)(talk (about oneself or sb/sth connected with oneself) with too much pride and satisfaction)[I， I+prep (about/of)， T+that， T+wh](derog)：Some people are always～ing.有些人老是自吹。It's nothing to～about.这没什么可夸耀的。～of/about one's success夸耀自己的成功;～of one's achievements/one's influence on the minister/one's good health/one's wealth/one's learning夸耀自己的成就/对部长的影响/健康的体魄/财富/学识;～of/about being the best player/having a fine voice/having won a first prize/what one has done夸耀自己是最好的选手/有一副好嗓子/赢得了一等奖/所做的事情;～about one's family/one's safety record/how clever one's son is 夸耀自己的家/安全记录/儿子如何机灵;～(to sb) that one has a fine voice/what a nice thing one has done(向某人)夸耀自己有一付好嗓子/做了多好的一件事;

(2) 拥有(值得自豪的东西)(possess (sth to be proud of) proudly)[T+n] (主语通常不为人)：(city)～a world-famous art gallery (城市)拥有一座世界闻名的艺术馆;(school)～a fine swimming-pool (学校)有一个很好的游泳池;(library) ～1000 new volumes (图书馆)藏有1000册新书;(sb's house)～an indoor swimming-pool (某人的房子)有一个室内游泳池;

→′boaster n 自我夸耀的人;

n (1) 自夸，大话(words or self-praise)[C][N+that](derog)：His～that he was the best singer in the competition turned out not to be true.他夸口他是比赛中的最佳歌手，其实并非如此。a foolish～愚蠢的自我吹嘘;His～is that he has never yet lost a match.他夸口说他比赛从未输过。It was Peter's～that he had read the entire works of Shakespeare.彼得夸口他读过莎翁的全部作品。

(2) 值得夸耀的事情(thing that one is proud of;source of pride)[C]：Talent is his～.天才是他的自豪之处。Mother's favorite/proud～was that no one had more beautiful children.妈妈最喜欢夸耀/自豪的是她的孩子最漂亮。Her achievements were the～of the family.她的成就是全家夸耀的内容。The city's only～is an avenue of palm trees.这个城市唯一值得夸耀的是一条棕榈树林阴道。

→′boastful adj 能吹嘘的;′boastfully adv 自我吹嘘地;′boastfulness n 自我吹嘘;

【用法】boast用于v (1)时，可后接介词of 或about，其中of较常见;表示“夸耀拥有……时”，则只可用of，如：～of good health;但当强调动词boast时，则倾向于用about，如：You may be the best， but you needn't～about it. (你也许是最优秀的，但用不着自吹自擂。)