Meaning & use
boots
Last updated
“boots” is a form of “boot”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounplural
Strong shoes that cover the foot and ankle, and sometimes the lower leg.
Grammar: Plural of 'boot'; use 'a boot' for one, 'boots' for two or more.
Patterns
- a pair of boots
- wear boots
- put on your boots
She pulled on her boots before going out in the snow.
These boots are too tight around the ankle.
He keeps his work boots by the back door.
verbtransitive
Puts on boots, or kicks something hard with a booted foot.
Grammar: Third-person singular of the verb 'boot'; takes an object.
Patterns
- boots something
- boots someone out
He boots the ball down the field every chance he gets.
She boots up her computer as soon as she sits down.
Word forms
| singular | boot |
|---|
Common combinations
- a pair of boots
- I bought a pair of boots for the winter.
- rubber boots
- Wear rubber boots if the path is muddy.
- boots up
- The machine boots up in about thirty seconds.
- work boots
- His work boots are covered in dust.
Synonyms and how they differ
- shoes
- 'Shoes' are lower and do not cover the ankle, while 'boots' usually do.
Word family
- boot noun
- One item of this footwear.
- booted adjective
- Wearing boots.
Commonly confused: boots or boats?
boots vs boats
'Boats' are small vessels on water; 'boots' are footwear. They sound almost the same.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'boots' correctly as a plural noun?
Choose one answer.
'Two new boots' uses the plural noun correctly. Option 3 is wrong because 'boots' is plural and needs 'are', not 'is'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “boots”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.