boot
B1Neutral to informal, depending on sense.
Definition
Meaning
A sturdy item of footwear covering the foot and ankle, and sometimes the lower leg.
The process of starting a computer; the trunk of a car (chiefly British); to kick forcefully; to dismiss or eject someone.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word has a core concrete meaning (footwear) and several distinct, common metaphorical extensions (computing, vehicles, forceful action). The computing sense is a shortening of 'bootstrap'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'boot' primarily means footwear or the storage compartment of a car. In the US, 'boot' means footwear, and the car storage compartment is called a 'trunk'. The verb 'to boot' (to kick) is common in both, but the computing sense is universal.
Connotations
In both varieties, 'boot' as footwear connotes sturdiness, protection, or work. The verb can connote force, dismissal, or a new beginning (computing).
Frequency
The car part sense is high-frequency in UK English and absent in US English for this word. The computing sense is equally frequent in technical contexts globally.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
boot [object] (e.g., boot the ball)boot [object] [prepositional phrase] (e.g., boot him out of the club)boot up (intransitive phrasal verb)give someone the boot (idiomatic)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to boot (in addition)”
- “get the boot (be dismissed)”
- “boot is on the other foot (situation is reversed)”
- “lick someone's boots (be servile)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Informal: 'He got the boot after the failed project.'
Academic
Rare, except in IT/Computing: 'The system requires a cold boot.'
Everyday
Very common: 'I need to buy new winter boots.' / 'Can you put the bags in the boot?' (UK)
Technical
Computing: 'The operating system boots from the solid-state drive.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He booted the malfunctioning printer in frustration.
- The manager was booted out of his job.
- Wait for the laptop to boot fully.
American English
- The player booted the ball sixty yards.
- They booted him off the committee.
- It takes a minute for the server to boot.
adverb
British English
- This sense is not standard. The word 'boot' does not function as a standalone adverb.
American English
- This sense is not standard. The word 'boot' does not function as a standalone adverb.
adjective
British English
- Boot leather is very tough. (compound noun modifier)
- A boot-cut jean style is fashionable.
American English
- The boot camp was extremely challenging.
- She prefers a boot-style sandal.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I wear boots in the snow.
- He has big black boots.
- Please boot the computer.
- She put her shopping bags in the boot of the car. (UK)
- The footballer booted the ball into the net.
- My PC boots very slowly.
- To boot the system from a USB drive, press F12.
- After the scandal, they gave the CEO the boot.
- He's arrogant and rude to boot.
- The new legislation will effectively boot out thousands of temporary residents.
- A soft boot is often sufficient to clear the cache, whereas a hard boot resets the hardware.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BOOT kicking a computer to START it. The shape of a car's trunk (UK boot) also resembles a boot turned on its side.
Conceptual Metaphor
FORCEFUL ACTION IS KICKING (boot the ball); STARTING/INITIATING IS STANDING UP (boot up); REJECTION IS PHYSICAL EJECTION (give him the boot).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate 'boot' (car) as 'багажник' when speaking US English; use 'trunk'.
- The idiom 'to boot' means 'in addition', not related to kicking or footwear.
- Russian 'бот' is a direct loan for 'bot', not related to 'boot'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'boot' for car part in US English (use 'trunk').
- Confusing 'boot' (footwear) with 'boat'.
- Incorrect preposition: 'boot someone out' not 'boot someone off' (usually).
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'the boot is on the other foot' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is British English. Americans call this part of a car the 'trunk'.
They are synonyms in this context. 'Boot' is slightly more technical, deriving from 'bootstrap'.
Yes. As a noun: footwear/car part. As a verb: to kick, to start a computer, to dismiss someone.
In this archaic/idiomatic use, 'to boot' means 'in addition' or 'as well'.