boot camp

American  

noun

U.S. Navy, Marines.

1. a camp for training recruits.

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boot camp British  

noun

1. slang a basic training camp for new recruits to the US Navy or Marine Corps

2. a centre for juvenile offenders, with a strict disciplinary regime, hard physical exercise, and community labour programmes

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Etymology

Origin of boot camp

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45

Example Sentences

At Chico State, Matthew Hernandez, a senior computer science major, enrolled in both a computer science boot camp, funded through Destino, and a calculus boot camp in the summer before his freshman year.

From Los Angeles Times

Oddly enough, the most effective sequences in “Beast of War” are on land—an Australian boot camp where, in 1942, soldiers are training, and characters are being developed.

From The Wall Street Journal

Some of the ideas from the groups included boosting parent engagement and involvement through workshops or boot camps.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s a boot camp of sorts—Camp Panda—wilderness training for panda cubs.

From Literature

Although she claims that Cam is her favorite kid, she only half-listens to him when he says he’s headed to boot camp, instructing him to return home with a carton of milk.

From Salon