BOOT

n. & v. --n. 1 an outer covering for the foot, esp. of leather, reaching above the ankle, often to the knee. 2 Brit. the luggage compartment of a motor car, usu. at the rear. 3 colloq. a firm kick. 4 (prec. by the) colloq. dismissal, esp. from employment (gave them the boot). 5 a covering to protect the lower part of a horse's leg. 6 hist. an instrument of torture encasing and crushing the foot. --v.tr. 1 kick, esp. hard. 2 (often foll. by out) dismiss (a person) forcefully. 3 (usu. foll. by up) put (a computer) in a state of readiness (cf. BOOTSTRAP 2). øthe boot is on the other foot (or leg) the truth or responsibility is the other way round. die with one's boots on (of a soldier etc.) die fighting. put the boot in 1 kick brutally. 2 act decisively against a person. you bet your boots sl. it is quite certain. øøbooted adj. [ME f. ON b×ti or f. OF bote, of unkn. orig.]