bootblack

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word bootblack. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word bootblack, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say bootblack in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word bootblack you have here. The definition of the word bootblack will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofbootblack, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

boot +‎ black

Noun

bootblack (plural bootblacks)

  1. (dated) A shoeshine boy; a person who shines shoes as an occupation.
    • 1922, Sinclair Lewis, chapter 24, in Babbitt, New York, N.Y.: Harcourt, Brace and Company, →OCLC:
      The young negro bootblack hummed "The Camp Meeting Blues" and polished in rhythm to his tune, drawing the shiny shoe-rag so taut at each stroke that it snapped like a banjo string.

Synonyms

Translations

Verb

bootblack (third-person singular simple present bootblacks, present participle bootblacking, simple past and past participle bootblacked)

  1. (transitive) To shine shoes.