plural boots
1
: a fitted covering (as of leather or rubber) for the foot that usually reaches above the ankle
2
: an instrument of torture used to crush the leg and foot
3
: something that resembles or is likened to a boot
especially
: an enclosing or protective casing or sheath (as for a rifle or over an electrical or mechanical connection)
4
: a navy or marine corps recruit undergoing basic training
5
British
: an automobile trunk
6
a
: a kick with the foot
b
: summary dismissal
—used with the
gave him the boot
c
: momentary pleasure or enjoyment : bang
got a big boot out of the joke
7
: a sheath enclosing the inflorescence
8
9
: the act of booting or rebooting a computer or the process by which a computer is booted see boot entry 4 sense 5b
A cold boot is starting up a computer whose power has been turned off. A warm boot involves restarting the system while it is running …—
J. D. Biersdorfer
—often used before another nounJ. D. Biersdorfera boot disk
booted; booting; boots
1
: to put boots on
2
a
: kick
b
: to eject or discharge summarily
—often used with out
was booted out of office
3
: to make an error on (a grounder in baseball)
broadly
: botch
4
: to ride (a horse) in a race
booted home three winners
5
a
: to load (a program) into a computer from a disk
b
: to start or ready for use especially by booting a program
boot a computer
—often used with up
1
: to become loaded into a computer's memory from a disk
the program boots automatically
2
: to become ready for use especially by booting a program
the computer boots quickly
—often used with up
Synonyms
Noun (2)
Verb (2)
Examples of boot in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebLarisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024
With unparalleled service and incredible cuisine to boot, buckle up for a first-class meal.
—Stacey Wreathall, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2024
The pants are made from a stretchy material and have an elastic waistband to boot.
—Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
One such famous incident was part of how Musk and his longtime friend, Google cofounder Larry Page, became ex-friends—and involved Sam Altman, to boot.
—Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024
Ballet pumps from Repetto were–and still are–a mainstay in the warmer months, but boots–from Vivienne Weswood’s Pirate pair to Alaïa’s booties and Hunter wellies–are still the MVPs.
—Alice Newbold, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2024
Maddow delivered a half-hour monologue on her Monday evening program — commercial free, to boot — likening McDaniel to others who have tried to undermine U.S. democracy and instill authoritarian rule.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 26 Mar. 2024
From restoring elasticity to smoothing skin and nourishing it with essential vitamins and minerals, body oil can refresh the skin from head to toe—and deliver a gleam, to boot.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2024
Now, designer Mattias Gollin, in collaboration with Timberland Europe, has extended that with these angelic boots with Swarovski crystal adornments and, of course, pearls.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 25 Mar. 2024
Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2024
The Giants might have booted it around on Friday, but the free agent additions of Gold Glove third baseman Chapman and shortstop Nick Ahmed give San Francisco the best left-side gloves in the division.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2024
But that strategy did not work, and by 2018, it was booted from the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the index of 30 companies designed to represent America’s most significant stocks.
—Chris Isidore, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024
In February, Walgreens was booted off of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
—Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 28 Mar. 2024
Meanwhile, a couple blocks from its downtown campus, another shocker played out: Oakland booting Kentucky from the 68-team tournament.
—Billy Witz, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
When the founder of the Messenger announced to his hundreds of employees that they were all laid off without severance, less than a year after the online publication booted up, the same weather pattern got the blame.
—Sam Dean, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024
Banks is running unopposed in the state’s May primary following a February vote by the Indiana Election Commission that booted Seymour egg farmer John Rust off the Republican ballot.
—The Indianapolis Star, 13 Mar. 2024
Leagues away from the disastrous ceremony of 2022, which booted several award categories from the live telecast in the misguided pursuit of higher ratings, this year’s ceremony leaned unabashedly into old-school Oscariness.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Noun
Dressed in boots, shorts, and a green vest, the one-name-only singer scored a prime performance slot at the bottom of the telecast’s third hour, despite being a relative unknown — and having never been to the titular city of her breakout hit.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024
With unparalleled service and incredible cuisine to boot, buckle up for a first-class meal.
—Stacey Wreathall, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2024
The pants are made from a stretchy material and have an elastic waistband to boot.
—Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
One such famous incident was part of how Musk and his longtime friend, Google cofounder Larry Page, became ex-friends—and involved Sam Altman, to boot.
—Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024
Ballet pumps from Repetto were–and still are–a mainstay in the warmer months, but boots–from Vivienne Weswood’s Pirate pair to Alaïa’s booties and Hunter wellies–are still the MVPs.
—Alice Newbold, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2024
Maddow delivered a half-hour monologue on her Monday evening program — commercial free, to boot — likening McDaniel to others who have tried to undermine U.S. democracy and instill authoritarian rule.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 26 Mar. 2024
From restoring elasticity to smoothing skin and nourishing it with essential vitamins and minerals, body oil can refresh the skin from head to toe—and deliver a gleam, to boot.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2024
Now, designer Mattias Gollin, in collaboration with Timberland Europe, has extended that with these angelic boots with Swarovski crystal adornments and, of course, pearls.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 25 Mar. 2024
Verb
By Season Two, she was booted and replaced with Josh Peck, who would later become one half of the meddling duo on Nickelodeon’s Drake & Josh.
—Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2024
The Giants might have booted it around on Friday, but the free agent additions of Gold Glove third baseman Chapman and shortstop Nick Ahmed give San Francisco the best left-side gloves in the division.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2024
But that strategy did not work, and by 2018, it was booted from the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the index of 30 companies designed to represent America’s most significant stocks.
—Chris Isidore, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024
In February, Walgreens was booted off of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
—Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 28 Mar. 2024
Meanwhile, a couple blocks from its downtown campus, another shocker played out: Oakland booting Kentucky from the 68-team tournament.
—Billy Witz, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
When the founder of the Messenger announced to his hundreds of employees that they were all laid off without severance, less than a year after the online publication booted up, the same weather pattern got the blame.
—Sam Dean, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024
Banks is running unopposed in the state’s May primary following a February vote by the Indiana Election Commission that booted Seymour egg farmer John Rust off the Republican ballot.
—The Indianapolis Star, 13 Mar. 2024
Leagues away from the disastrous ceremony of 2022, which booted several award categories from the live telecast in the misguided pursuit of higher ratings, this year’s ceremony leaned unabashedly into old-school Oscariness.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'boot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Video
Some Odd Words with ISMO: "Junk in the Trunk"
Comedian ISMO on what separates a boot from a trunk
Dictionary Entries Near boot
Cite this Entry
“Boot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boot. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
boot
1 of 3 noun
chiefly dialect
: something given to make a trade equal
boot
2 of 3 noun1
: a covering usually of leather or rubber for the foot and part of the leg
2
b
: a rude dismissal or discharge
—used with the
3
: a new member of the Navy or Marine Corps while in boot camp
boot
3 of 3 verb1
: to put boots on
2
b
: to get rid of or dismiss rudely
—often used with out
was booted out of the office
3
a
: to load (a program) into a computer from a disk
b
: to start or make ready for use especially by booting a program
boot a computer
Etymology
Noun
Old English bōt "remedy"
Noun
Middle English boot "a covering for the foot"
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