subs. phr. (colloquial).—A comrade in a drinking bout; a convivialist; a good fellow. Hence BOON-COMPANIONSHIP = jollity; conviviality.
1566. T. DRANT, Horace, A. v. He is my BONE companion, its he that cheares vp me.
1592. GREENE, A Quip for an Upstart Courtier, in Wks. XI., 220. To seeke good consortes and BOONE COMPANIONS to passe away the day withall.
1592. NASHE, Strange Newes, in Wks. II., 176. Thinke not, though vnder correction of your BOONE-COMPANIONSHIP, I am disposed to be a little pleasant, I condemne you of anie immoderation, either in eating or drinking.
1594. NASHE, The Terrors of the Night, in Wks. III., 228. Our poets or BOONE COMPANIONS they are out of question.
1600. W. KEMP, Nine Daies Wonder, in Arber’s English Garner, VII., 27. And coming to my inn, where the host was a very BOON COMPANION, I desired to see him.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. BOON-COMPANION, a merry Drinking Fellow.
1712. ARBUTHNOT, The History of John Bull, I., v. This was occasioned by his being a BOON COMPANION, loving his bottle and his diversion.
1824. SCOTT, St. Ronan’s Well, xxiii. The morning after a debauch is usually one of reflection, even to the most customary BOON COMPANION.
1827. BULWER-LYTTON, Pelham, lxvii. We went downstairs to our dinner, as charmed with each other as BOON COMPANIONS always should be.
1849. BULWER-LYTTON, The Caxtons, XII., iv. A little society, and BOON-COMPANIONSHIP … would take Roland out of those gloomy reveries.
