I. boot 1 S2 W3 /buːt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Sense 1-3, 5-7: Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: bote ]
[ Sense 4: Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old English ; Origin: bot 'advantage, profit, use' ]
1 . a type of shoe that covers your whole foot and the lower part of your leg ⇨ Wellington :
hiking boots
a pair of boots
⇨ ↑ rubber boot
2 . British English an enclosed space at the back of a car, used for carrying bags etc SYN trunk American English :
The new model has a bigger boot.
3 . the boot informal when someone is forced to leave their job SYN the sack British English ⇨ dismiss :
The chairman denied that he had been given the boot.
He should have got the boot years ago.
4 . to boot in addition to everything else you have mentioned:
She was a great sportswoman, and beautiful to boot.
5 . put the boot in British English informal
a) to criticize or be cruel to someone who is already in a bad situation
b) to attack someone by kicking them repeatedly, especially when they are on the ground
6 . the boot is on the other foot British English used to say someone who has caused problems for other people in the past is now in a situation in which people are causing problems for them
7 . American English a metal object that the police attach to one of the wheels of an illegally parked car so that it cannot be moved SYN wheel clamp British English
⇨ be/get too big for your boots at ↑ big 1 (14), ⇨ lick sb’s boots at ↑ lick 1 (7), ⇨ tough as old boots at ↑ tough 1 (2)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ types of boots
▪ leather boots
He bought some sturdy leather boots.
▪ wellington boots British English , rubber boots American English (=rubber boots that stop your feet and legs getting wet)
The kids put on their rubber boots and went out in the rain.
▪ walking/hiking boots
In the mountains you’ll need some strong walking boots.
▪ football/rugby/riding/ski boots
Take your muddy football boots off before you come inside.
▪ ankle boots (=only as high as your ankles)
Ankle boots are fashionable again this autumn.
▪ long boots (=as high as your knees or thighs)
I bought a pair of long leather boots.
▪ knee-high boots
She looked fabulous in a mini-skirt and knee-high boots.
■ phrases
▪ a pair of boots
I really need a new pair of boots this winter.
II. boot 2 BrE AmE verb
[ Sense 1: Date: 1900-2000 ; Origin: bootstrap 'to boot up' (1900-2000) , probably from bootstrap (noun); ⇨ ↑ bootstraps ]
[ Sense 2-3: Date: 1800-1900 ; Origin: ⇨ ↑ boot 1 ]
1 . ( also boot up ) [intransitive and transitive] to start the program that makes a computer ready to be used ⇨ load
2 . [transitive] informal to kick someone or something hard
boot something in/round/down etc
The goalkeeper booted the ball upfield.
3 . [transitive] American English to stop someone from moving their illegally parked vehicle by fixing a piece of equipment to one of the wheels SYN clamp British English
boot somebody ↔ out phrasal verb informal
to force someone to leave a place, job, or organization, especially because they have done something wrong SYN throw out :
His fellow students booted him out of the class.