Brooms, also known by the Old English "broomesses", consist of a length of plastic, wood, cardboard, glass, or metal known as 'the stick', and a collection of twigs, straw, wire, or other stiff material (The 'bosom'). They are used to remove dirt and other material from floors, beat cheating husbands, remove cobwebs from corners, and in some anecdotal cases, to fly upon.