Have You Ever 'Been Shaking in Your Boots'?
Everyone knows what it's like to feel scared. But have you ever been "shaking in your boots?" If you're shaking in your boots, then you're very scared of something. The phrase comes from the idea that fear sometimes causes people to shake, and it's not the only English expression based on boots.
If you arrived at your first day of army training and saw that all the other new soldiers were scared of something, you might ask one of the recruits, "Why is everyone shaking in their boots?"
Boots are usually made to be worn in situations where other shoes might get damaged, so if a pair of boots are old, it must mean they are very tough to have lasted so long. So when we say someone is "tough as old boots," we mean they are very strong and don't easily get hurt or upset.
The recruit might tell you that she's heard the drill sergeant tries to make the first day as difficult as possible. She could say, "You have to be as tough as old boots to make it through the first day."
"Getting the boot" means being fired from a job. It can also mean being made to leave a place or group, like a school or a team. The phrase is another way of saying "kicked out," which is also used when someone is made to leave somewhere.
So you might tell the recruit, "Really? Oh no, I hope I'm fit enough — I'd hate to get the boot on my first day!"
