boot legged

[josaphine32]

can anyone tell me where this saying came from please!!!

[Clanad]

In the U.S. it seems to have derived from the days of prohibition when one could go to the country of Canada and return with a flask of their very best tucked inside the top of ones boot. This came to mean anything to do with illegal imprtation of alcohol. I haven't been able to find my citation just yet, however...

[Bravo Girl]

I understand it to mean either an alcoholic drink or a music recording made or distributed illegally and that it comes from the 19th century smuggler's practice of hiding bottles in their boots (Concise Oxford Dictionary, cos I'm an old fashioned gal who likes books)