booting: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumInformal (computer sense), Informal/Neutral (physical action sense)
Quick answer
What does “booting” mean?
The action of starting a computer or device by loading its operating system.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The action of starting a computer or device by loading its operating system; also, the act of kicking forcefully.
Forcibly removing someone from a place, job, or situation; initiating a process or system; a vigorous start.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both computer and physical senses are used in both variants. The physical 'booting' (kicking) might be slightly more common in British media/sports (e.g., football) reporting. The computing term is standard and identical.
Connotations
Computing: technical/neutral. Physical: implies force, violence, or abrupt ejection.
Frequency
The computing sense dominates overall frequency in modern usage in both variants.
Grammar
How to Use “booting” in a Sentence
[SUBJECT] is booting [OBJECT (computer/system)][SUBJECT] is booting [OBJECT (person)] out of [LOCATION/ROLE][SUBJECT] finished booting.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “booting” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The IT chap is booting the server now.
- The landlord is booting out the noisy tenants.
American English
- I'm booting my laptop; it'll just be a second.
- They booted him off the committee for misconduct.
adverb
British English
- The computer started booting quickly. (Not 'booting' as adverb; use 'quickly booting')
American English
- He left the room booting and screaming. (Rare/poetic; 'booting' not a standard adverb)
adjective
British English
- The booting process is quite slow on this old machine. (gerund as adj.)
American English
- A booting error prevented the system from starting. (gerund as adj.)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Could be used metaphorically: 'The board is booting the CEO.'
Academic
Limited to Computer Science or technical papers discussing system initialization.
Everyday
Common for discussing computer/phone problems. Also used informally for ejecting someone: 'He got a booting from the pub.'
Technical
The primary domain. Refers to the BIOS/UEFI and OS loading sequence.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “booting”
- Using 'booting' to mean 'installing software' (it's about starting, not installing).
- Confusing 'booting' with 'rebooting' (the latter implies restarting).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While most common for computers, it also means kicking forcefully or ejecting someone/something.
'Booting' is starting from a powered-off state. 'Rebooting' is restarting; turning it off and on again.
It's short for 'bootstrap' (as in 'pull oneself up by one's bootstraps'), describing a self-starting process.
The computing sense is acceptable in technical formal writing. The physical/ejection sense is largely informal.
The action of starting a computer or device by loading its operating system.
Booting: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbuːtɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbuːt̬ɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to give someone the boot (related to ejection sense)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a computer wearing a big BOOT. To start it, you give it a kick (booting it up).
Conceptual Metaphor
STARTING IS KICKING INTO MOTION; REMOVAL IS FORCIBLE PROPULSION.
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'booting' NOT typically apply?