to boot

noun

1. Archaic. something given into the bargain.
2. Obsolete.
   1. advantage.
   2. remedy; relief; help.

verb (used with or without object)

3. Archaic. to be of profit, advantage, or avail (to): It boots thee not to complain.

Idioms

4. to boot, in addition; besides: We received an extra week’s pay to boot.

noun

1. a strong outer covering for the foot; shoe that extends above the ankle, often to the kneeSee also chukka boot, top boot, Wellington boots, surgical boot
2. an enclosed compartment of a car for holding luggage, etc, usually at the rearUS and Canadian name: trunk
3. a protective covering over a mechanical device, such as a rubber sheath protecting a coupling joining two shafts
4. US and Canadian a rubber patch used to repair a puncture in a tyre
5. an instrument of torture used to crush the foot and lower leg
6. a protective covering for the lower leg of a horse
7. a kickhe gave the door a boot
8. British slang an ugly person (esp in the phrase old boot)
9. US slang a navy or marine recruit, esp one in training
10. computing short for bootstrap (def. 4a)
11. bet one’s boots to be certainyou can bet your boots he’ll come
12. See boots and all
13. die with one’s boots on
    1. to die while still active
    2. to die in battle
14. lick the boots of to be servile, obsequious, or flattering towards
15. put the boot in slang
    1. to kick a person, esp when he or she is already down
    2. to harass someone or aggravate a problem
    3. to finish off (something) with unnecessary brutality
16. the boot slang dismissal from employment; the sack
17. the boot is on the other foot or the boot is on the other leg the situation is or has now reversed
18. too big for one’s boots self-important or conceited

verb

19. (tr) (esp in football) to kick
20. (tr) to equip with boots
21. (tr) informal
    1. (often foll by out)to eject forcibly
    2. to dismiss from employment
22. Also: boot up to start up the operating system of (a computer) or (of a computer) to begin operating

verb (usually impersonal)

1. archaic to be of advantage or use to (a person)what boots it to complain?

noun

2. obsolete an advantage
3. dialect something given in addition, esp to equalize an exchangea ten pound boot to settle the bargain
4. to boot as well; in additionit’s cold and musty, and damp to boot

n.1footwear, early 14c., from Old French bote “boot” (12c.), with corresponding words in Provençal and Spanish, of unknown origin, perhaps from a Germanic source. Originally for riding boots only. An old Dorsetshire word for “half-boots” was skilty-boots [Halliwell, Wright]. n.2“profit, use,” Old English bot “help, relief, advantage; atonement,” literally “a making better,” from Proto-Germanic *boto (see better (adj.)). Cf. German Buße “penance, atonement,” Gothic botha “advantage.” Now mostly in phrase to boot (Old English to bote). v.2“start up a computer,” 1975, from bootstrap (v.), a 1958 derived verb from bootstrap (n.) in the computer sense. v.1“to kick,” 1877, American English, from boot (n.1). Generalized sense of “eject, kick out” is from 1880. Related: Booted; booting. Besides, in addition. For example, It rained every day and it was cold to boot, or He said they’d lower the price of the car by $1,000 and throw in air conditioning to boot. This expression has nothing to do with footwear. Boot here is an archaic noun meaning “advantage,” and in the idiom has been broadened to include anything additional, good or bad. [c. a.d. 1000] In addition to the idioms beginning with boot

boot out

boot up

also see:

die with one’s boots on

get the ax (boot)

kick (boot) out

lick someone’s boots

pull oneself up (by the bootstraps)

quake in one’s boots

to boot

too big for one’s breeches (boots)

you can bet your ass (boots)

Also see undershoe.