Dictionary

bosom friend en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Compound of bosom + friend. Compare typologically Russian напе́рсник (napérsnik), akin to Proto-Slavic *pьrsь, Russian закады́чный друг (zakadýčnyj drug), akin to кады́к (kadýk)).

Meanings

1. A very close friend.
   • But I cared a great deal for the much more formidable person who was behind him, the bosom friend of Moriarty, the man who dropped the rocks over the cliff, the most cunning and dangerous criminal in London. 1903 September 26, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “The Adventure of the Empty House”, in The Return of Sherlock Holmes, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co., published February 1905, →OCLC:
   • Jerry was Morel’s bosom friend, and Mrs. Morel disliked him. 1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC:
   • I could not have believed it! And to propose that she and I should unite to form a musical club! One would fancy we were bosom friends! And Mrs. Weston! 1815 December (indicated as 1816), [Jane Austen], Emma: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray, →OCLC:
   • I pour you the farewell wine as you set out from the capital— Soon I shall be left behind here by my bosom-friend. In your sail-boat of sweet cinnamon-wood You will float again toward your own thatch door 1982, Witter Bynner, The Chinese Translations, Macmillan, →ISBN, page 225:
   • “A—a what kind of friend?” “A bosom friend—an intimate friend, you know—a really kindred spirit to whom I can confide my inmost soul. I’ve dreamed of meeting her all my life. […]” 1908 June, L[ucy] M[aud] Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables, Boston, Mass.: L[ouis] C[oues] Page & Company, →OCLC:

Forms

Synonyms

cater-cousin · bosom buddy · ace boon coon · intimate

Translations (56)

be блізкая сяброўка (very close friend) · be блізкі сябар (very close friend) · nl boezemvriend (very close friend) · nl boezemvriendin (very close friend) · be таечка (very close friend) · pl przyjaciółka od serca (very close friend) · it amico del cuore (very close friend) · ja 心安い友人 (very close friend) · sip སྙིང་གྲོགས (very close friend) · el επιστήθιος φίλος (very close friend) · az həmdəm (very close friend) · de Busenfreundin (very close friend) · et südamesõber (very close friend) · fr amie intime (very close friend) · es amiga del alma (very close friend) · de Busenfreund (very close friend) · hu kebelbarát (very close friend) · cmn 知己 (very close friend) · gl amigo da alma (very close friend) · sh naprsnik (very close friend) · pl przyjaciel od serca (very close friend) · sv såta vänner (very close friend) · vi bạn thân (very close friend) · it amico per la pelle (very close friend) · ru бли́зкий друг (very close friend) · gd goistidh (very close friend) · nl getrouwe (very close friend) · ga cara cnis (very close friend) · pt amiga do peito (very close friend) · kn ಆಪ್ತಮಿತ್ರ (very close friend) · fr ami intime (very close friend) · vi tri kỷ (very close friend) · ja 親友 (very close friend) · es amigo del alma (very close friend) · gl amiga da alma (very close friend) · cmn 摯友 /挚友 (very close friend) · it amica del cuore (very close friend) · fi sydänystävä (very close friend) · ml ആത്മമിത്രം (very close friend) · cmn 知音 (very close friend) · sv hjärtevän (very close friend) · el αδελφικός φίλος (very close friend) · pt amigo do peito (very close friend) · az ürəkbir dost (very close friend) · it amica per la pelle (very close friend) · el κολλητός (very close friend) · be блізкі сябра (very close friend) · az sirdaş (very close friend) · af boesemvriend (very close friend) · kn ಪ್ರಾಣಸ್ನೇಹಿತ (very close friend) · ja 親しい友達 (very close friend) · af boesemvriendin (very close friend) · ru закады́чный друг (very close friend) · ml ഉറ്റസുഹൃത്ത് (very close friend) · ro fârtat (very close friend) · gd bana-ghoistidh (very close friend)