Definition of "boomerang"

boomerang

/ˈbuːməɹæŋ/

noun
plural boomerangs
1. A flat curved airfoil that spins about an axis perpendicular to the direction of flight, originally used in various parts of the world as a hunting weapon or, in returnable types, for sports or training.
  Quotations
  Some resemblance to terrestrial things, it is true, everyone can behold in the heavens. Corona, for example, is like a crown, or, as the Australian black fellows know, it is like a boomerang, and we can understand why they give it the name of that curious curved missile.
  1884, Andrew Lang, “Star Myths”, in Custom and Myth
  With boomerang and spear they hunted the kangaroo and emu, and fought their battles beneath the eucalyptus forests; their minds, fresh, untroubled, contented, oblivious alike of noble ideals and philosophic principles.
  1897, Warren Bert Kimberly, History of West Australia
  "Don't worry, boy, I know the trick, / And to you I'm gonna show it. / If you want your boomerang to come back, / Well first you've got to... throw it."
  1961, Charlie Drake, song, My Boomerang Won't Come Back
2. A breakdancing move in which the performer walks on their hands while keeping the legs raised off the ground.
3. (Australian rules football, rugby) A boomerang kick.
4. (theater) A device for changing the color of a followspot.
  Quotations
  Roll: A live action changing from one color to another. Typically requires dexterity to "crossfade" between two colors in the boomerang with one hand while following with the other.
  2013, Steven Louis Shelley, A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting
  If you are spot one you should push down on the first lever on the boomerang to load frame one. Spot two should do the same with frame five. On the go, both spot ops should run their dowser levers to bring the light up on the target specified by the cue caller.
  2013, John Holloway, Illustrated Theatre Production Guide, page 144
5. (RAF slang) An early return of an aircraft whose mission was aborted, often due to technical failures.
6. A cocktail made with rye whiskey and Swedish punsch.
verb
third-person singular simple present boomerangs, present participle boomeranging, simple past and past participle boomeranged
1. (intransitive) To return or rebound unexpectedly, especially when the result is undesired; to backfire.
  Quotations
  "Well, there must be some flaw about this," I suggested. "If your magnet is so strong as all that, you would have your own broadside boomeranging back upon you."
  1882 March 7, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Stark Munro Letters
  "Oh," they yelled, "you could, eh? Well, let's see you do it, then! Let's see you do it! Let's see you do it! Now!" In a moment the crew of little spectators were gibing at Horace. The blow that would make Jimmie's humiliation complete! Instead, it had boomeranged Horace into the mud.
  1899 November, “"Showin' Off"”, in Harper's New Monthly Magazine, volume 99, number 594
  Our future economic success depends on the economy growing faster than government spending. That's why raising taxes would boomerang. Economic growth would slow, revenues would decline, and the budget deficit would swell.
  1985 February 2, Ronald Reagan, Presidential Radio Address
2. (intransitive) To travel in a curved path.
  Quotations
  He said that to the horse as it boomeranged off again and broke away through the scrub.
  1894, Henry Lawson, “The Mystery of Dave Regan”, in Short Stories in Prose and Verse‎
3. (RAF slang) To abort a mission and return to base early.