bootleg (ˈbuːtˌlɛɡ
)
Definitions
verb
- to make, carry, or sell (illicit goods, esp alcohol)
noun
- something made or sold illicitly, such as alcohol during Prohibition in the US
- an illegally made copy of a CD, tape, etc
adjective
- produced, distributed, or sold illicitly ⇒
bootleg whisky
bootleg tapes
Alternative Forms
ˈbootˌlegger nounWord Origin
C17: see bootC17: see 1, ; from the practice of smugglers of carrying bottles of liquor concealed in their boots, leg; from the practice of smugglers of carrying bottles of liquor concealed in their bootsSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
illicit,
illegal,
outlawed,
pirate,
unofficial,
black-market
unlicensed,
under-the-table
unauthorized,
contraband,
hooky,
under-the-counter,
=
pirate,
Usage examples
His head was slowly disentangling itself from the bootleg memories.
, Somewhere East of Life (1994)When you buy a bootleg or pirate a download off the net, you don't get the real thing.
NME (New Musical Express) (2002)It's just that their idiocy isn't cryogenically preserved on a bootleg tape.
The Australian (2004)All were said to be involved in a battle to control the kingdom's lucrative trade in bootleg alcohol.
Glasgow Herald (2002)In those days it was extremely hard to get prints of old films and we had to ask a famous film historian to lend us his bootleg copy.
, Leontyne (1989)