bootleg
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bootleg
- /ˈbutˌlɛɡ/ US
Where it comes from
From boot + leg. Originally a nickname given to smugglers in King George III's reign, derived from the smugglers' custom of hiding packages of valuables in their large sea-boots when dodging the king's coastguardsmen.
verb bootlegs · bootlegging · bootlegged
- To engage in bootlegging. Only certain dishes are allowed—-not fish and lobster, reserved to the state restaurants—-and those paladares that break the rules operate like speakeasies in the time of Prohibition, the fish-bootlegging owners keeping a nervous eye out for informers.
- To make, transport and/or sell illegal alcoholic liquor. In the 1930s, Grandpa used to bootleg to make ends meet.
- To make, transport and/or sell an illegal version or copy of a copyrighted product. In the 1990s, Grandpa used to bootleg under some sort of Robin-Hood-esque notion.
- To operate a mine illicitly. In the 1930s, Grandpa used to bootleg to make ends meet.
noun bootlegs
- The part of a boot that is above the instep. Holonyms: upper < boot
-
An illegally produced, transported, or sold product.
He thinks he can cross this border with bootleg and get away with it. I doubt he's right. Maybe years ago, but not nowadays.
Similar: contraband
- An unauthorized recording; for example, of a live concert. Years ago I heard a fantastic bootleg of that song. It was my favorite rendition.
- A remix or mashup that is a combination of two songs but that is not authorized and audited for copyright use; primarily in the electronic music scene.
- A play in which the quarterback fakes a handoff, conceals the ball against his hip, and rolls out.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: contraband, black-market, smuggle, illegal, black, smuggled, surreptitious, clandestine, underground, irregular, booze, hooch, illegitimate, moonshine, illegitimatize, illegitimise
Translations
Every language
verb to make, transport and/or sell illegal alcoholic liquor
| Deutsch | schwarz brennen, schmuggeln |
|---|
verb to make, transport and/or sell an illegal version or copy of a copyright product
| Español | piratear |
|---|---|
| Português | piratear |
| Deutsch | raubkopieren, schwarz herstellen |
noun that part of a boot that is above the instep
| Português | cano |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Stiefelschaft |
| Русский | голени́ще goleníšče |
noun an illegally produced, transported or sold product; contraband
| 日本語 | 海賊版 kaizokuban |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 盜版 /盗版 dàobǎn |
| Português | contrabando |
| Deutsch | Kontrabande, Raubgut, Schmuggelware |
adj illegally produced, transported or sold
| Español | pirata, bamba |
|---|---|
| Português | pirata |
| Français | non-officiel |
Talk about this word "bootleg." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/bootleg. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. bootleg. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/bootleg "bootleg." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/bootleg.Cite this
@misc{bootleg_2026,
title = {bootleg},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/bootleg},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
