Boot

A boot is a type of footwear which covers at least the foot and usually the ankle, and sometimes extends up to the knee or even the hip. They come in every imaginable variation of height, color, material and style. Most have a heel which is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece. Originally boots were made for working wear.

Boots in idiom

Boots, particularly those worn as protective footwear by workers (work boots) have a reputation for being as hard-wearing as their owners, hence the expression "tough as old boots".

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A long established cliché of anglers, especially those who are inexperienced or angling in waters known to be poor for fish, is that of the "old boot", caught in place of the expected fish. This can be seen in many cartoons, parodies, etc., and is usually depicted dripping with weeds and with part of the sole detached, giving the impression of an open mouth.

Related Topics:
Anglers - Fish - Weeds

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Another fate of a discarded boot is in the construction of a musical instrument known as the "mendoza".

Related Topics:
Musical instrument - Mendoza

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To "die with one's boots on" means to die from violence as opposed to from natural causes (to "die in bed"); hence Boot Hill as a popular name for Wild West cemeteries.

Related Topics:
Boot Hill - Wild West

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Boot camp a colloquial term for the initial training of new recruits enlisting in a military organization.

Related Topics:
Boot camp - Military

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British term referring to the trunk of a car.

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To "give someone the boot" means to kick them out (of a job, a club, etc.), either literally or figuratively.

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To "put the boot in" means to kick someone especially hard, to add additional pain on top of an already hard situation.

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"The boot is on the other foot now" means that a situation has become reversed -- a previous victor is now losing, for example.

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"To boot" means "in addition to."

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"To boot" means "to vomit." Used primarily by young American fraternity men.

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