Word
bootstrap
Phoneticsboot·strap, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbutˌstɹæp/
UK/bˈuːtstɹæp/
Definition
n. a method for starting a computer or a program without using the operating system. It can also mean a way to build something from nothing using the tools you already have.
n. a small program or set of instructions used to initialize a computer system or load an operating system. In a broader sense, it refers to the process of building or improving something using only the resources already available.
Examples
“The technician used a bootstrap to start the computer when the OS failed.”
“The startup used a bootstrap approach to build their first product, relying on the founder's existing skills and a small amount of personal savings.”
“In statistics, the bootstrap method involves resampling from the original dataset to estimate the variability of a sample statistic, effectively creating a distribution from a single sample.”
Examples
simple
“The technician used a bootstrap to start the computer when the OS failed.”
contextual
“The startup used a bootstrap approach to build their first product, relying on the founder's existing skills and a small amount of personal savings.”
complex
“In statistics, the bootstrap method involves resampling from the original dataset to estimate the variability of a sample statistic, effectively creating a distribution from a single sample.”
Etymology
From boot + strap. The sense "pull up (without aid)" comes from the phrase pull oneself up by one's bootstraps.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/bootstrap