boot
1 Americannoun
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a covering of leather, rubber, or the like, for the foot and ankle, and usually all or part of the leg.
She wore knee-high boots over her jeans.
This plaid shirt will look great with distressed black jeans and a cute pair of ankle boots.
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an overshoe, especially one of rubber or other waterproof material.
His rain boots protect his dress shoes from the mud.
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any sheathlike protective covering.
You can use a stiff piece of paper or foil as a boot for a damaged bicycle tire.
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a protective covering for the foot and part of the leg of a horse.
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a protecting cover or apron for the driver's seat of an open vehicle.
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the receptacle into which the top of a convertible car fits when lowered, or the cloth covering for it.
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British. the trunk of an automobile.
The spare tire's in the boot.
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a kick.
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Slang. the boot, a dismissal; discharge.
They gave him the boot for coming in late.
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Computers. an act or instance of starting up a computer or program.
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a rubber covering for the connection between each spark-plug terminal and ignition cable in an automotive ignition system.
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Also called Denver boot. a metal device attached to the wheel of a parked car so that it cannot be driven away until a fine is paid or the owner reports to the police: used by police to catch scofflaws.
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an instrument of torture for the leg, consisting of a kind of vise extending from the knee to the ankle, tightened around the leg by means of screws.
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U.S. Navy, Marines. a recruit.
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Music. the box that holds the reed in the reed pipe of an organ.
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Informal. a sensation of pleasure or amusement.
Watching that young skater win a gold medal gave me a real boot.
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Baseball. a fumble of a ball batted on the ground, usually to the infield.
verb (used with object)
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to kick; drive by kicking.
The boy booted a tin can down the street.
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Football. to kick.
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Baseball. to fumble (a ground ball).
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Computers.
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to start (a computer) by loading and initializing the operating system (often followed byup ).
I can't do that on my tablet so I'll have to boot up my desktop.
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to start (a program) by loading the first few instructions, which will then bring in the rest (often followed byup ).
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Slang. to expel; discharge.
They booted him out of school for selling drugs.
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to put boots on; equip or provide with boots.
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to attach a Denver boot to.
Police will boot any car with unpaid fines.
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to torture with a vise tightened around the leg by means of screws.
verb (used without object)
idioms
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boots on the ground,
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troops or forces who are physically present in a military campaign, law enforcement operation, or the like.
Will NATO put boots on the ground to enforce the agreement?
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people who are physically present to carry out work.
Some of our volunteers work online, and others work as boots on the ground in several locations.
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die with one's boots on, Also die in one's boots.
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to die while actively engaged in one's work, profession, etc.
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to die fighting, especially in battle, or in some worthy cause.
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bet one's boots, to be sure or certain.
You can bet your boots I'll be there!
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get a boot, to derive keen enjoyment.
I really got a boot out of his ridiculous stories.
noun
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Archaic. something given into the bargain.
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Obsolete.
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advantage.
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remedy; relief; help.
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verb (used with or without object)
idioms
noun
noun
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a strong outer covering for the foot; shoe that extends above the ankle, often to the knee See also chukka boot top boot Wellington boots surgical boot
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US and Canadian name: trunk. an enclosed compartment of a car for holding luggage, etc, usually at the rear
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a protective covering over a mechanical device, such as a rubber sheath protecting a coupling joining two shafts
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a rubber patch used to repair a puncture in a tyre
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an instrument of torture used to crush the foot and lower leg
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a protective covering for the lower leg of a horse
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a kick
he gave the door a boot
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slang an ugly person (esp in the phrase old boot )
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slang a navy or marine recruit, esp one in training
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computing short for bootstrap
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to be certain
you can bet your boots he'll come
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See boots and all
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to die while still active
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to die in battle
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to be servile, obsequious, or flattering towards
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slang
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to kick a person, esp when he or she is already down
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to harass someone or aggravate a problem
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to finish off (something) with unnecessary brutality
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slang dismissal from employment; the sack
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the situation is or has now reversed
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self-important or conceited
verb
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(tr) (esp in football) to kick
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(tr) to equip with boots
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informal (tr)
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(often foll by out) to eject forcibly
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to dismiss from employment
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Also: boot up. to start up the operating system of (a computer) or (of a computer) to begin operating
verb
noun
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obsolete an advantage
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dialect something given in addition, esp to equalize an exchange
a ten pound boot to settle the bargain
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as well; in addition
it's cold and musty, and damp to boot
Etymology
Origin of boot1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English bote, boote, from Anglo-French, Old French bote; of uncertain origin
Origin of boot2
First recorded before 1000; Middle English bote, Old English bōt “advantage”; cognate with Dutch boete, German Busse, Old Norse bōt, Gothic bota; bet 1, better 1
Origin of boot3
First recorded in 1585–95; special use of boot 2 by association with booty 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On a recent Saturday, Cordero was dressed for the remote border terrain — flannel, hiking boots, a San Diego Padres cap pulled low against the sun.
From Los Angeles Times
Housewives in buttoned ankle boots and farmers in felt hats clomped in and milled about.
From Literature
In keeping with my longstanding policy of avoiding actions that might put me between the jaws of a crocodile, the expedition is not exactly the kind that might entice me to find my wading boots.
I don’t know why I thought I could run, but I was going to, until a giant horse blocked my path and there were shiny black boots right in my face.
From Literature
“We don’t know what would happen if there were U.S. boots on the ground.”
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
