Where “Full as a Boot” Comes From
“Full as a boot” is an Australian way of saying very drunk. Green’s Dictionary of Slang does not explain the boot image, and it sits alongside other “full as a…” similes such as “full as a bull” and “full as a state school”.
The earliest dated use in Green’s is 4 April 1939 in the Burnie Advocate (Tasmania), though Green’s gives that one no country tag. The earliest Australian-tagged example is the Canberra Times of 23 December 1948. After that it turns up in Australian novels (The Sundowners 1952, The Shiralee 1955), in the Barry McKenzie comic strip (1974–5), and in Gerald Seal’s Lingo (1999). It is also recorded in New Zealand from 1988. Nancy Keesing (1982) reported that women she asked said “full as a boot” always meant drunk, while “full as a goog” was used only for food.
Source:
“Don’t give him the keys, he’s full as a boot.”
How Aussies Actually Use It
It is used like the other “full as a…” similes for someone who has had far too much to drink, as in “full as a boot and happy as Larry” (The Shiralee, 1955).
Say It Like an Aussie
Say it: FUL az a BOOT.
In conversation:
- Don’t give him the keys, he’s full as a boot.
- He was full as a boot at the wedding.
- She’s full as a boot, get her a taxi.
Good to know: It’s a joking way to say someone’s very drunk. If someone has had too much, look after them and never let them drive.
See also: Full as a state school, Maggot, Shickered
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