bootleg.
To engage in bootlegging.
Meaning & usage
To engage in bootlegging.
To engage in bootlegging. To make, transport and/or sell illegal alcoholic liquor.
In the 1930s, Grandpa used to bootleg to make ends meet.
In the 1930s, Grandpa used to bootleg whiskey from a still hidden in the backwoods.
To engage in bootlegging. 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.
In the 1990s, Grandpa used to bootleg Windows CD-ROMs.
To engage in bootlegging. To operate a mine illicitly.
In the 1930s, Grandpa used to bootleg to make ends meet.
In the 1930s, Grandpa used to bootleg coal from a shaft hidden in the backwoods.
Where this word 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.
The part of a boot that is above the instep.
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.
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.
Where this word 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.
Illegally produced, transported, or sold.
Being an inferior imitation of something, possibly a counterfeit.
bootleg coffee
Where this word 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.
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.