broomstick

plural broomsticks · alternative broom-stick

1. The handle of a broom (sweeping tool); (sometimes) the entire broom.
2. A broom imbued with magic, enabling one to fly astride the handle.

   She really was a witch now. No one but a witch could fly a broomstick.

   1997, Diana Wynne Jones, Witch Week

   4 more examples

   Witches of all ages attended these lively gatherings by flying away on their broomsticks[.]

   1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 106

   Harry ripped the parcel open and gasped as a magnificent, gleaming broomstick rolled out onto his bedspread. [...] It was a Firebolt, identical to the dream broom Harry had gone to see every day in Diagon Alley.

   1999, J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, →ISBN

   Greebo, hiccuping occasionally, oozed into his accustomed place among the bristles of Nanny’s broomstick. As they rose above the forest a thin plume of smoke also rose from the castle.

   2002, Terry Pratchett, Witches Abroad, page 97

   Most people are familiar with the age-old superstition that witches fly on broomsticks to their covens (though they were formerly also reputed to use shovels, cleft sticks, eggshells, ANIMALS and other means of flight).

   2003, David Pickering, Cassell's Dictionary of Superstitions

3. slanggovernmentA control stick of an airplane or other vehicle.
4. rareslangA firearm.

   Gangdem known for the shootings, go ask Ramz – got whooshed with a broomstick.

   2020 January 19, Sin Squad & Mloose, “Don't Ride Back”

   Synonyms: boomstick, broom

present singular third person broomsticks · participle present broomsticking · participle past broomsticked · past broomsticked · alternative broom-stick

1. intransitiveTo fly on a broomstick, as witches are said to.

   BATTY: But, Mother Witch, I want to go broomsticking, too.

   1955, Grade Teacher, volume 73, page 14

   1 more example

   Cynthia the Witch, whenever she broomsticked back into town would not even be given the chance to lay eyes on my machine or my clothes.

   2006, Brandi Scollins-Mantha, Floaters, page 75