put the boot in

The phrase "put the boot in" is primarily used in British English to describe actions that add to someone's misfortune, whether physically or verbally.

Definition

B2Physical Violence

(informal, slang)To kick someone, especially when they are already on the ground.

Example

  • After he fell, the attackers continued to put the boot in.

B2Verbal Criticism

(informal, slang)To harshly criticize or attack someone, particularly when they are already in a difficult situation.

Example

  • The critics really put the boot in after the team's poor performance.

B2Making Things Worse

(informal, slang)To make a bad situation even worse by adding further negative actions or comments.

Example

  • As if losing his job wasn't enough, his friends put the boot in by blaming him for the company's failure.

Similar

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "put the boot in":

get the bootgive someone the bootfill one's bootsstick one's foot in ithoof itboot outkick into touchgive it some wellyput one's foot downkick overkick inkick someone's assput the boom downboots and allkick itkick one's heelsstomp onput spurs toput the pedal to the metaldrop someone in ithave one's heart in one's bootsput inkick against the pricksdig one's heels inboot boylower the boomput someone in their placekick outkick uptread on someone's toesstep on itkick into the long grassput one overstomp outget a leg upbeat the stuffing out of