bootleg

[boot-leg]

noun

1. alcoholic liquor unlawfully made, sold, or transported, without registration or payment of taxes.

2. the part of a boot that covers the leg.

3. something, as a recording, made, reproduced, or sold illegally or without authorization.

   a flurry of bootlegs to cash in on the rock star's death.

verb (used with object)

bootlegged, bootlegging 

1. to deal in (liquor or other goods) unlawfully.

verb (used without object)

bootlegged, bootlegging 

1. to make, transport, or sell something, especially liquor, illegally or without registration or payment of taxes.

adjective

1. made, sold, or transported unlawfully.

2. illegal or clandestine.

3. of or relating to bootlegging.

bootleg

/ ˈbuːtˌlɛɡ /

verb

1. to make, carry, or sell (illicit goods, esp alcohol)

noun

1. something made or sold illicitly, such as alcohol during Prohibition in the US

2. an illegally made copy of a CD, tape, etc

adjective

1. produced, distributed, or sold illicitly

   bootleg whisky

   bootleg tapes

Other Word Forms

• bootlegger noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of bootleg¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1625–35; boot ¹ + leg; secondary senses arose from practice of hiding a liquor bottle in the leg of one's boot

Word History and Origins

Origin of bootleg¹

C17: see _boot ¹ , _leg ; from the practice of smugglers of carrying bottles of liquor concealed in their boots

Example Sentences

In between the tribute bands and memorabilia vendors, one of the big attractions was screenings of various rare or bootleg film footage, screened in cavernous hotel ballrooms.

Read more on Salon

Not long after that, they saw the first bootleg merchandise: a toy version of Mico, el Micófono, a character that is just a microphone with googly eyes that street vendors could easily replicate.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

This is like as close to getting bootlegged as possible.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

For years, some residents of the city have been known to make their own bootleg wine.

Read more on Barron's

She introduced Gigi to several musicals, from a bootleg version of “Legally Blonde,” to her first live theater experience in “Wicked,” to the cast album of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “In the Heights.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• contraband 
• illicit 
• pirated www.thesaurus.com
• smuggled www.thesaurus.com
• unauthorized