Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
BOOT
I. noun see: better Date: before 12th century deliverance , something to equalize a trade, avail ,
II. verb
Date: 15th century
avail , profit ,
III. noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French bote
Date: 14th century
a fitted covering (as of leather or rubber) for the foot and usually reaching above the ankle, an instrument of torture used to crush the leg and foot, something that resembles or is likened to a boot, a navy or marine corps recruit undergoing basic training, an automobile trunk,
6. a kick with the foot, summary dismissal, momentary pleasure or enjoyment ; bang , a sheath enclosing the inflorescence, Denver boot ,
IV. verb
Date: 15th century
transitive verb to put boots on,
2. kick , to eject or discharge summarily, to make an error on (a grounder in baseball), to ride (a horse) in a race ,
5. \bootstrap (II)] to load (a program) into a computer from a disk, to start or ready for use especially by booting a program , intransitive verb to become loaded into a computer's memory from a disk , to become ready for use especially by booting a program , bootable adjective
V. noun
Etymology: 1boot
Date: 1593
booty , plunder