boot camp

noun

, U.S. Navy, Marines.

1. a camp for training recruits.

boot camp

noun

1. slang.
   a basic training camp for new recruits to the US Navy or Marine Corps
2. a centre for juvenile offenders, with a strict disciplinary regime, hard physical exercise, and community labour programmes

Word History and Origins

Origin of boot camp¹

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45

Example Sentences

“It was theater boot camp. I was helping somebody who was coming to the theater having never been on stage before in a two-hander. Two-handers are not easy.”

From Los Angeles Times

“When else do you get an opportunity to basically have a boot camp for acting on an actual TV set?” he says.

From Los Angeles Times

He did, impressing the judges more in 2010, and was put together with four other solo hopefuls at the boot camp stage and One Direction were born.

From BBC

In 2016, he was arrested for selling drugs and served six months in a correctional boot camp.

From BBC

In the book, I went to breakup boot camp to explore losing a loved one outside of death.

From Los Angeles Times