like old boots
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Slang for vigorously; "like anything." "I was working like old boots" means "I was doing my very utmost.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “like old boots” mean?
Slang for vigorously; "like anything." "I was working like old boots" means "I was doing my very utmost.
Is “like old boots” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.