boot cut

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a noun

   Describing pants, especially jeans, that are slightly wider at the bottom so they fit over boots.

   Grammar: Comes before a noun: boot cut jeans, boot cut trousers. It is not used after a verb.

   Patterns

   • boot cut jeans
   • boot cut pants
   • boot cut style

   He wore a pair of boot cut jeans with his cowboy boots.

   Boot cut pants are wider at the hem than straight-leg styles.

   She prefers boot cut trousers because they are comfortable over her shoes.

2. 2nouncountable or uncountable

   A style of pants that become slightly wider below the knee, designed to be worn over boots.

   Grammar: Can be used as a countable noun (a boot cut) or uncountable (in boot cut). Often in the phrase 'in boot cut'.

   Patterns

   • in boot cut
   • a boot cut
   • the boot cut

   These jeans come in boot cut and skinny fit.

   The boot cut was popular in the 1970s and has returned to fashion.

   I like the boot cut because it balances my shape.

Common combinations

boot cut jeans

She bought a pair of boot cut jeans for the trip.

boot cut trousers

Boot cut trousers look smart with a blazer.

boot cut pants

These boot cut pants are made of stretch denim.

a pair of boot cut

He packed a pair of boot cut jeans for the weekend.

Synonyms and how they differ

flare

A flare is much wider at the bottom and starts below the knee; boot cut is only slightly wider and is designed to fit over boots.

straight leg

Straight leg pants have the same width from hip to hem, while boot cut widens slightly at the bottom.

Opposites

Commonly confused: boot cut or bootcut?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “boot cut”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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