boot

*boot

dismissal from employment or from a place that one is in. (*Typically: get ~; give someone ~.) I guess I wasn't dressed well enough to go in there. They gave me the boot. I'll work harder at my job today. I nearly got the boot yesterday.

*tough as an old boot and *tough as old (shoe) leather 

1. [of meat] very tough. (*Also: as ~.) This meat is tough as an old boot. Bob couldn't eat the steak. It was as tough as an old boot.

2. [of someone] very strong willed. (*Also: as ~.) When Brian was lost in the mountains, his friends did not fear for him; they knew he was tough as leather. My English teacher was as tough as an old boot.

3. [of someone] not easily moved by feelings such as pity. (*Also: as ~.) She doesn't care. She's as tough as old shoe leather. He was born tough as an old boot and has only grown more rigid.

See also: old, tough

boot someone or an animal out and kick someone or an animal out 

1. Lit. to send or remove someone or an animal from a place forcefully, often by kicking. I kicked the cat out and then went to bed. Tom kicked out the dog.

2. Fig. to force someone or something to leave some place. We booted out the people who didn't belong there. The doorman booted the kid out.

See also: animal, out

boot something up

to start up a computer. She booted her computer up and started writing. Please go boot up your computer so we can get started.

See also: up

boot up

[of a computer] to begin operating; to start up one's computer. He turned on the computer and it booted up. Try to boot up again and see what happens.

See also: up

couldn't pour water out of a boot (if there was instructions on the heel)

Rur. stupid. I won't say Jim is dumb, but he couldn't pour water out of a boot. Jane couldn't pour water out of a boot if there was instructions on the heel—and she's the smartest one in her family!

See also: couldn't, out, pour, water

die in one's boots and die with one's boots on

Fig. to go down fighting; to die in some fashion other than in bed; to die fighting. (Popularized by western movies. Heroes and villains of these movies said they preferred death in a gunfight to showing cowardice or giving up.) I won't let him get me. I'll die in my boots. a gunfight to showing cowardice or giving up.) I won't let him get me. I'll die in my boots.

See also: die

shake in one's boots and quake in one's boots

Fig. to be afraid; to shake from fear. I was shaking in my boots because I had to go see the manager for being late. Stop quaking in your boots, Bob. I'm not going to fire you.

See also: shake

to boot

in addition. For graduation, I got a new suit and a coat to boot. She got an F on her term paper and flunked the final to boot.

You bet your (sweet) life! and You bet your boots!; You bet your life!; You bet your (sweet) bippy.

Inf. Fig. You can be absolutely certain of something! Mary: Will I need a coat today? Bill: You bet your sweet life! It's colder than an iceberg out there. Bill: Will you be at the game Saturday? Tom: You bet your boots!

See also: bet

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somebody's heart is in their boots

if someone's heart is in their boots, they feel sad or worried His heart was in his boots as he waited for news of the accident.

See also: heart

a bossy boots  (British & Australian informal)

an impolite way of describing someone who always tells other people what to do Karen's such a bossy boots - ordering us around all the time.

a clever clogs  (British & Australian humorous) also a clever boots (Australian humorous)

if you call someone a clever clogs, you mean that they are very clever I bet old clever clogs here knows the answer.

See also: clever, clog

be as full as a boot/tick  (Australian informal)

to be very drunk Old Clive was as full as a boot when he left the hotel last night.

See also: full

be as tough as old boots  also be as tough as nails

if someone is as tough as old boots, they are very strong and not easily injured 'Do you think Grandad will ever recover?' 'Of course, he's as tough as old boots.'

See also: old, tough

be as tough as old boots  (British, American & Australian) also be as tough as shoe leather (American)

if food is as tough as old boots, it is difficult to cut or to eat That steak I had was as tough as old boots.

See also: old, tough

be quaking in your boots

to be very frightened or anxious My first teacher had one of those deep, booming voices that had you quaking in your boots.

See also: quake

be shaking in your boots/shoes

to be very frightened or anxious Damon was shaking in his shoes when he heard all the shouting.

See also: shake

die with your boots on

to die while you are still actively involved in your work I never want to retire - I'd rather die with my boots on.

See also: die

give somebody the boot 

1. (informal) to stop employing someone They gave him the boot for swearing at his manager. (informal)

2. (informal) to end a romantic relationship with someone She gave him the boot because he wouldn't stop talking about his ex-girlfriends.

See also: give

hang up your boots

to permanently stop playing a sport After a disastrous season it is rumoured that Gregory may hang up his boots once and for all.

See also: hang, up

lick somebody's boots  (informal)

to try too hard to please someone important I'm not prepared to lick someone's boots to get a promotion.

See also: lick

put the boot in  (British informal)

1. to make a bad situation worse He lost his job and then his wife put the boot in by announcing she was leaving him.

2. to attack someone by kicking them again and again, usually when they are lying on the ground Four lads pushed him down and then put the boot in.

See the boot is on the other foot

See also: put

the boot is on the other foot  (British & Australian) also the shoe is on the other foot (American)

if you say that the boot is on the other foot, you mean that a situation is now the opposite of what it was before, often because a person who was in a weak position is now in a strong position In the past, we had great influence over their economy, but the boot is on the other foot now.

See get a/ foot in the door, shoot in the foot, have one foot in the grave

See also: foot, other

too big for your boots  (British, American & Australian informal) also too big for your britches (American informal)

someone who is too big for their boots behaves as if they are more important or more clever than they really are Since he was made team captain, he's been ordering us all around and generally getting much too big for his boots.

See also: big

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boot up

to start a computer I have eight computers in my office and each one of them boots up differently.

See also: up

get the boot

to be forced to leave a job Which congressmen will get the boot from the voters in the next election?

Related vocabulary: get the ax

See also: get

to boot

also She said she liked living at home, and she was saving money to boot.