bootless

English

Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

From Middle English bootles, botelees; equivalent to boot +‎ -less.

Adjective

bootless (not comparable)

1. Without boots.

Etymology 2

From Middle English boteles, botles, from Old English bōtlēas; equivalent to boot (“profit; use; behoof”) +‎ -less. Doublet of botleas.

Alternative forms

• boteless

Adjective

bootless (comparative more bootless, superlative most bootless)

1. Profitless; pointless; unavailing.
   • c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii]:

     I'll follow him no more with bootless prayers.

   • 1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 29”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:

     When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes, / I all alone beweep my outcast state / And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries

   • 1844, Sir John William Kaye, Peregrine Pultuney: or, Life in India, page 251:

     The lieutenant tried the handle again, but still his efforts were quite bootless. He pushed and kicked, but the door was a strong one.

Synonyms

• fruitless

Derived terms

• bootlessly
• bootlessness

Translations

unavailing

• Bulgarian: безполезен (bg) (bezpolezen)