boot

boot

I. boot¹ S2 W3 /buːt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Sense 1-3, 5-7: Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: bote]
[Sense 4: Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old English; Origin: bot 'advantage, profit, use']

1. a type of shoe that covers your whole foot and the lower part of your leg ⇨ Wellington:
hiking boots
a pair of boots ⇨ ↑rubber boot
2. British English an enclosed space at the back of a car, used for carrying bags etc SYN trunk American English:
The new model has a bigger boot.
3. the boot informal when someone is forced to leave their job SYN the sack British English ⇨ dismiss:
The chairman denied that he had been given the boot.
He should have got the boot years ago.
4. to boot in addition to everything else you have mentioned:
She was a great sportswoman, and beautiful to boot.
5. put the boot in British English informal
a) to criticize or be cruel to someone who is already in a bad situation
b) to attack someone by kicking them repeatedly, especially when they are on the ground
6. the boot is on the other foot British English used to say someone who has caused problems for other people in the past is now in a situation in which people are causing problems for them
7. American English a metal object that the police attach to one of the wheels of an illegally parked car so that it cannot be moved SYN wheel clamp British English
⇨ be/get too big for your boots at ↑big¹(14), ⇨ lick sb’s boots at ↑lick¹(7), ⇨ tough as old boots at ↑tough¹(2)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ types of boots
▪ leather boots He bought some sturdy leather boots.
▪ wellington boots British English, rubber boots American English (=rubber boots that stop your feet and legs getting wet) The kids put on their rubber boots and went out in the rain.
▪ walking/hiking boots In the mountains you’ll need some strong walking boots.
▪ football/rugby/riding/ski boots Take your muddy football boots off before you come inside.
▪ ankle boots (=only as high as your ankles) Ankle boots are fashionable again this autumn.
▪ long boots (=as high as your knees or thighs) I bought a pair of long leather boots.
▪ knee-high boots She looked fabulous in a mini-skirt and knee-high boots.
■ phrases
▪ a pair of boots I really need a new pair of boots this winter.
II. boot² BrE AmE verb
[Sense 1: Date: 1900-2000; Origin: bootstrap 'to boot up' (1900-2000), probably from bootstrap (noun); ⇨ ↑bootstraps]
[Sense 2-3: Date: 1800-1900; Origin: ⇨ ↑boot¹]
1. (also boot up) [intransitive and transitive] to start the program that makes a computer ready to be used ⇨ load
2. [transitive] informal to kick someone or something hard
boot something in/round/down etc
The goalkeeper booted the ball upfield.
3. [transitive] American English to stop someone from moving their illegally parked vehicle by fixing a piece of equipment to one of the wheels SYN clamp British English
boot somebody ↔ out phrasal verb informal
to force someone to leave a place, job, or organization, especially because they have done something wrong SYN throw out:
His fellow students booted him out of the class.