• Boot

    Pronunciation

    • UK enPR: boÍžot, IPA: /buːt/, buːt
    • Rhymes: -uːt

    Origin 1

    From Middle English boote, bote ("shoe"), from Old French bote ("a high, thick shoe"). Of obscure origin, but probably related to Old French bot ("club-foot"), Old French bot ("fat, short, blunt"), probably from Old Norse buttr ("short, blunt"), from Proto-Germanic *buttaz, *butaz ("cut off, short, numb, blunt"), from Proto-Indo-European *bhud-, *bhAud-, *bheid- ("to strike, push, shock"). Compare Norwegian butt ("stump"), Low German butt ("blunt, plump"), Old English bytt ("small piece of land"), Old English buttuc ("end"). More at buttock.

    Noun

    boot

    (plural boots)
    1. A heavy shoe that covers part of the leg.
    2. A blow with the foot; a kick.
    3. (construction) A flexible cover of rubber or plastic, which may be preformed to a particular shape and used to protect a shaft, lever, switch, or opening from dust, dirt, moisture, etc.
    4. A torture device used on the feet or legs, such as a Spanish boot.
    5. (US) A parking enforcement device used to immobilize a car until it can be towed or a fine is paid; a wheel clamp.
    6. A rubber bladder on the leading edge of an aircraft’s wing, which is inflated periodically to remove ice buildup. A deicing boot.
    7. (obsolete) A place at the side of a coach, where attendants rode; also, a low outside place before and behind the body of the coach.
    8. (archaic) A place for baggage at either end of an old-fashioned stagecoach.
    9. (Australia, British, NZ, automotive) The luggage storage compartment of a sedan or saloon car.
    10. (computing, informal) The act or process of removing somebody from a chat room.
    11. (British, slang) unattractive person, ugly woman
    12. (firearms) A hard plastic case for a long firearm, typically moulded to the shape of the gun and intended for use in a vehicle.

    Synonyms

    Derived terms

    Terms derived from boot (footwear)

    Full definition of boot

    Verb

    1. To kick.I booted the ball toward my teammate.
    2. To put boots on, especially for riding.
      • Ben JonsonCoated and booted for it.
    3. To apply corporal punishment (compare slippering).
    4. (informal) To forcibly eject.We need to boot those troublemakers as soon as possible
    5. (slang) To vomit.Sorry, I didn’t mean to boot all over your couch.
    6. (computing, informal) To disconnect forcibly; to eject from an online service, conversation, etc.
      • 2002, Dan Verton, The Hacker Diaries - Page 67As an IRC member with operator status, Swallow was able to manage who was allowed to remain in chat sessions and who got booted off the channel.
      • 2003, John C. Dvorak, Chris Pirillo, Online! - Page 173Even flagrant violators of the TOS are not booted.
      • 2002, Jobe Makar, Macromedia Flash Mx Game Design Demystified - Page 544In Electroserver, the kick command disconnects a user totally from the server and gives him a message about why he was booted.

    Usage notes

    The more common term for “to eject from a chatroom” etc. is kick.

    Synonyms

    Derived terms

    Origin 2

    From Middle English boote, bote, bot, from Old English bōt ("help, relief, advantage, remedy; compensation for an injury or wrong; (peace) offering, recompense, amends, atonement, reformation, penance, repentance"), from Proto-Germanic *bōtō ("atonement, improvement"), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰÀd- ("good"). Akin to Old Norse bót ("bettering, remedy") (Danish bod), Gothic 𐌱𐍉𐍄𐌰, German Buße.

    Alternative forms

    Noun

    boot

    (countable and uncountable; plural boots)
    1. (dated) remedy, amends
      • Sir Walter ScottThou art boot for many a bruise
        And healest many a wound.
      • Wordsworthnext her Son, our soul's best boot
    2. (uncountable) profit, plunder
    3. (obsolete) That which is given to make an exchange equal, or to make up for the deficiency of value in one of the things exchanged; compensation; recompense
      • ShakespeareI'll give you boot, I'll give you three for one.
    4. (obsolete) Profit; gain; advantage; use.
      • ShakespeareThen talk no more of flight, it is no boot.

    Derived terms

    Verb

    1. (transitive) to profit, avail, benefit
      • HookerWhat booteth it to others that we wish them well, and do nothing for them?
      • ByronWhat subdued
        To change like this a mind so far imbued
        With scorn of man, it little boots to know.
      • SoutheyWhat boots to us your victories?
    2. To enrich; to benefit; to give in addition.
      • ShakespeareAnd I will boot thee with what gift beside
        Thy modesty can beg.

    Origin 3

    Shortening of bootstrap.

    Noun

    boot

    (plural boots)
    1. (computing) The act or process of bootstrapping; the starting or re-starting of a computing device.It took three boots, but I finally got the application installed.

    Derived terms

    terms derived from boot (computing)

    Verb

    1. (computing) To bootstrap; to start a system, eg. a computer, by invoking its boot process or bootstrap.When arriving at the office, first thing I do is booting my machine.

    Derived terms

    Origin 4

    From bootleg ("to make or sell illegally"), by shortening

    Noun

    boot

    (plural boots)
    1. A bootleg recording.

    Anagrams

    © Wiktionary
    • © 2013 - 2023 All Rights Reserved