seven-league boots

[ sev-uhn-leeg ]

plural noun

1. fairy-tale boots enabling the wearer to reach seven leagues at a stride.

Word History and Origins

Origin of seven-league boots¹

1805–15; translation of French bottes de sept lieues in the fairy tales of C. Perrault, especially Le petit Poucet ( English Hop-o'-my-Thumb )

Example Sentences

From the first looks to hit the runway at the Grand Palais to the last, the Chanel fall and winter 2020 runway collection was all about those seven-league boots — black leather with a generous fold-over flap in contrasting brown leather that added a dash of swashbuckling swagger to some looks and horse-racing flair to others.

From Los Angeles Times

“You can go twice as fast as we can on those seven-league boots of yours.”

From Literature

Traveling the world in seven-league boots, Shell talks to pioneers who are trying to redefine the meaning of work and transform the relationship of businesses to their employees and to the communities around them.

From Washington Post

For one thing, he ran as if he were wearing seven-league boots.

From Slate

Hop-o’-My-Thumb tells two of his brothers to steal the seven-league boots of the sleeping ogre, and the boys beat an exit with the awakened ogre in hot pursuit with a meat cleaver.

From New York Times