General
boot
What does boot mean?
US Marine Corps and Navy term for someone who's just graduated boot camp. The shine isn't off them yet — fresh haircut, fresh uniform, no experience, no stories. Used by everyone senior, which in the fleet means everyone. By extension, anyone new to a unit, posting or job is 'a boot' until they've earned otherwise.
"Don't listen to him, he's a boot — first deployment hasn't even started."
Origin
Early 20th-century US Navy/Marine slang, from 'boot camp' — itself named for the leggings (boots) recruits were issued.
Frequently asked questions
What does boot mean in Australia?
The boot is the luggage compartment at the back of a car, called the trunk in American English.
Why do Australians call it the boot?
It's British English terminology retained in Australia rather than the American 'trunk'.
How do you use boot in a sentence?
You'd say something like 'Chuck the bags in the boot' when loading a car.
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