Boot vs. Kick — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on April 5, 2024
A boot involves starting up a system, whereas a kick often refers to forcefully removing someone from a space or session.
Difference Between Boot and Kick
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Booting is a process that computers and electronic devices undergo to become operational, involving the loading of the operating system and initialization of hardware. Whereas, kicking is a term commonly used in online and network contexts to describe forcefully ejecting a user from a platform or session, often due to rule violations or disruptive behavior.
Boots are essential for the functionality of electronic devices, initializing systems to a state of readiness for use. On the other hand, kicking serves as a method for moderators or administrators to maintain order and enforce rules within online communities or networks.
While booting is a routine and necessary process for the operation of computers and electronic devices, kicking is a discretionary action used to ensure the integrity and safety of online spaces.
The boot process is a technical and automated procedure initiated by the device itself or a user, leading to the device becoming ready for use. In contrast, kicking is a manual action taken by individuals with authority within online platforms, targeting specific users for removal based on certain criteria.
Booting and kicking, although unrelated in their application, both play crucial roles in their respective domains: booting in the seamless operation of technology, and kicking in the management and governance of online communities.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
The process of starting a computer and loading the OS.
Forcefully ejecting a user from an online space or session.
Context
Used in computing and technology.
Used in online communities and networks.
Purpose
To initialize a device for use.
To maintain order or enforce rules.
Action Origin
Automatic or initiated by user.
Initiated by moderators or administrators.
Impact
Brings a device into operational state.
Removes a user from a specific online environment.
Compare with Definitions
Boot
In computing, booting refers to the sequence of events that occurs from power-on to loading the operating system.
The boot sequence is crucial for diagnosing hardware issues.
Kick
The action taken by administrators or software to ensure the integrity of an online space.
Automated systems can kick bots attempting to spam a forum.
Boot
Booting can also mean loading a specific software or operating system into the computer's main memory.
Booting from a USB drive allows you to run a different operating system temporarily.
Kick
To forcibly remove someone from an online platform or session.
The moderator had to kick the disruptive user from the chat room.
Boot
The process a computer or device undergoes to start up and become operational.
Pressing the power button on your computer initiates the boot process.
Kick
Kicking can also refer to a preventive measure to protect the online community's environment.
To maintain order, kicking is sometimes necessary in large online discussions.
Boot
In a broader sense, to boot is to start or initiate any process.
Booting a new project at work involves careful planning and coordination.
Kick
In digital contexts, kicking involves the ejection of a participant due to rule violations or disruptive behavior.
Kicking a player from an online game ensures a better experience for others.
Boot
To start up a system or device, especially a computer.
I need to boot my laptop every morning before I start work.
Kick
Broadly, to kick is to take decisive action to remove an obstacle or problematic element.
Kicking outdated policies can help rejuvenate an organization’s culture.
Boot
A boot, plural boots, is a type of specific footwear. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle, while some also cover some part of the lower calf.
Kick
A kick is a physical strike using the leg, in unison usually with an area of the knee or lower using the foot, heel, tibia (shin), ball of the foot, blade of the foot, toes or knee (the latter is also known as a knee strike). This type of attack is used frequently by hooved animals as well as humans in the context of stand-up fighting.
Boot
A sturdy item of footwear covering the foot and ankle, and sometimes also the lower leg
A pair of walking boots
Kick
Strike or propel forcibly with the foot
Police kicked down the door
He kicked the door open
Boot
A hard kick
He got a boot in the stomach
Kick
Succeed in giving up (a habit or addiction)
She was trying to kick heroin
Smokers may soon have new help to kick the habit
Boot
An enclosed space at the back of a car for carrying luggage or other goods.
Kick
(of a gun) recoil when fired
Their guns kick so hard that they have developed a bad case of flinching
Boot
The process of starting a computer and putting it into a state of readiness for operation
A boot disk
Kick
A blow or forceful thrust with the foot
A kick in the head
Boot
As well; in addition
He is a likeable guy, and funny to boot
Images that are precise, revealing, and often beautiful to boot
Kick
A sudden forceful jolt
The shuttle accelerated with a kick
Boot
Kick (something) hard in a specified direction
He ended up booting the ball into the stand
Kick
The sharp stimulant effect of alcohol or a drug
Strong stuff, this brew: he felt the kick
Boot
Start (a computer) and put it into a state of readiness for operation
The menu will be ready as soon as you boot up your computer
The system won't boot from the original drive
Kick
Soft sports shoes; trainers
A pair of basketball kicks
Boot
Place a wheel clamp on (an illegally parked car)
Once a car is booted, the owner must pay all fines plus a fee to have the boot removed
Kick
An indentation in the bottom of a glass bottle, diminishing the internal capacity.
Boot
A durable covering for the foot and part or much of the leg, usually made of leather, fabric, plastic, or rubber.
Kick
To extend the leg away from the body; strike out with the foot or feet.
Boot
A protective covering, especially a sheath to enclose the base of a floor-mounted gear shift lever in a car or truck.
Kick
To score or gain ground by kicking a ball.
Boot
Chiefly British An automobile trunk.
Kick
To punt in football.
Boot
A kick.
Kick
To propel the body in swimming by moving the legs, as with a flutter kick or frog kick.
Boot
(Slang) An unceremonious dismissal, as from a job. Used with the.
Kick
To recoil
The powerful rifle kicked upon being fired.
Boot
(Slang) A swift, pleasurable feeling; a thrill.
Kick
To express negative feelings vigorously; complain.
Boot
A Denver boot.
Kick
To oppose by argument; protest.
Boot
A marine or navy recruit in basic training.
Kick
To strike with the foot
Kicked the wall in frustration.
Boot
(Computers) The process of starting or restarting a computer.
Kick
To propel by striking with the foot
Kick a ball.
Boot
Boots An instrument of torture, used to crush the foot and leg.
Kick
To spring back against suddenly
The rifle kicked my shoulder when I fired it.
Boot
Chiefly Southern & Midland US See lagniappe.
Kick
(Sports) To score (a goal or point) by kicking a ball.
Boot
(Archaic) Advantage; avail.
Kick
A vigorous blow with the foot.
Boot
To put boots on.
Kick
(Sports) The motion of the legs that propels the body in swimming.
Boot
To kick
Booted the ball into the goal.
Kick
Any of various moves in dance in which the leg is extended from the body.
Boot
(Slang) To discharge unceremoniously.
Kick
A jolting recoil
A rifle with a heavy kick.
Boot
(Computers) To start (a computer) by loading an operating system from a disk.
Kick
(Slang) A complaint; a protest.
Boot
To disable (a vehicle) by attaching a Denver boot.
Kick
(Slang) Power; force
A car engine with a lot of kick.
Boot
(Baseball) To misplay (a ground ball).
Kick
A feeling of pleasurable stimulation
Got a kick out of the show.
Boot
To be of help or advantage; avail.
Kick
Kicks Fun
Went bowling just for kicks.
Boot
A heavy shoe that covers part of the leg.
Kick
(Slang) Temporary, often obsessive interest
I'm on a science fiction kick.
Boot
(sports) A kind of sports shoe worn by players of certain games such as cricket and football.
Kick
(Slang) A sudden, striking surprise; a twist.
Boot
A blow with the foot; a kick.
Kick
Kicks(Slang) Shoes.
Boot
(construction) A flexible cover of rubber or plastic, which may be preformed to a particular shape and used to protect a shaft, lever, switch, or opening from dust, dirt, moisture, etc.
Kick
The act or an instance of kicking a ball.
Boot
(usually preceded by definite article) A torture device used on the feet or legs, such as a Spanish boot.
Kick
A kicked ball.
Boot
(US) A parking enforcement device used to immobilize a car until it can be towed or a fine is paid; a wheel clamp.
Kick
The distance spanned by a kicked ball.
Boot
(aviation) A rubber bladder on the leading edge of an aircraft’s wing, which is inflated periodically to remove ice buildup; a deicing boot.
Kick
(transitive) To strike or hit with the foot or other extremity of the leg.
Did you kick your brother?
Boot
(obsolete) A place at the side of a coach, where attendants rode; also, a low outside place before and behind the body of the coach.
Kick
(intransitive) To make a sharp jerking movement of the leg, as to strike something.
He enjoyed the simple pleasure of watching the kickline kick.
Boot
(archaic) A place for baggage at either end of an old-fashioned stagecoach.
Kick
(transitive) To direct to a particular place by a blow with the foot or leg.
Kick the ball into the goal.
Boot
A recently arrived recruit; a rookie.
Kick
(with "off" or "out") To eject summarily.
Boot
The luggage storage compartment of a sedan or saloon car.
Kick
To forcibly remove a participant from an online activity.
He was kicked from the IRC server for flooding.
Boot
The act or process of removing or firing someone (dismissing them from a job or other post).
He was useless so he got the boot.
Kick
To overcome (a bothersome or difficult issue or obstacle); to free oneself of (a problem).
I still smoke, but they keep telling me to kick the habit.
Boot
An unattractive person, ugly woman.
Old boot
Kick
To move or push suddenly and violently.
He was kicked sideways by the force of the blast.
Boot
A black person.
Kick
(of a firearm) To recoil; to push by recoiling.
Boot
(firearms) A hard plastic case for a long firearm, typically moulded to the shape of the gun and intended for use in a vehicle.
Kick
To attack (a piece) in order to force it to move.
Boot
(baseball) A bobbled ball.
Kick
To accelerate quickly with a few pedal strokes in an effort to break away from other riders.
Contador kicks again to try to rid himself of Rasmussen.
Boot
(botany) The inflated flag leaf sheath of a wheat plant.
Kick
(intransitive) To show opposition or resistance.
Boot
(slang) A linear amplifier used with CB radio.
Kick
To work a press by impact of the foot on a treadle.
Boot
A tyre.
Kick
To reset (a watchdog timer).
Boot
(US) A crust end-piece of a loaf of bread.
Kick
To reproach oneself for making a mistake or missing an opportunity.
He's still kicking himself for not investing three years ago.
Boot
Remedy, amends.
Kick
(intransitive) To die.
Boot
(uncountable) Profit, plunder.
Kick
To be emphatically excellent.
That band really kicks.
Boot
That which is given to make an exchange equal, or to make up for the deficiency of value in one of the things exchanged; compensation; recompense.
Kick
A hit or strike with the leg, foot or knee.
A kick to the knee.
Boot
(obsolete) Profit; gain; advantage; use.
Kick
The action of swinging a foot or leg.
The ballerina did a high kick and a leap.
Boot
(obsolete) Repair work; the act of fixing structures or buildings.
Kick
(colloquial) Something that tickles the fancy; something fun or amusing.
I finally saw the show. What a kick!
I think I sprained something on my latest exercise kick.
Boot
(obsolete) A medicinal cure or remedy.
Kick
(Internet) The removal of a person from an online activity.
Boot
(computing) The act or process of bootstrapping; the starting or re-starting of a computing device.
It took three boots, but I finally got the application installed.
Kick
(figuratively) Any bucking motion of an object that lacks legs or feet.
The car had a nasty kick the whole way.
The pool ball took a wild kick, up off the table.
Boot
(informal) A bootleg recording.
Kick
Piquancy.
Boot
To kick.
I booted the ball toward my teammate.
Kick
A stimulation provided by an intoxicating substance.
Boot
To put boots on, especially for riding.
Kick
(soccer) A pass played by kicking with the foot.
Boot
To step on the accelerator of a vehicle for faster acceleration than usual or to drive faster than usual.
The storm is coming fast! Boot it!
We had to boot it all the way there to get to our flight on time.
Kick
(soccer) The distance traveled by kicking the ball.
A long kick up the field.
Boot
To apply corporal punishment (compare slippering).
Kick
The recoil of a gun.
Boot
(informal) To eject; kick out.
We need to boot those troublemakers as soon as possible.
The senator was booted from the committee for unethical behavior.
Kick
(informal) A pocket.
Boot
(often with up) To start or restart a computer or other electronic system; to bootstrap.
Boot up the system before 8 a.m. on weekdays.
Kick
An increase in speed in the final part of a running race.
Boot
To disconnect forcibly; to eject from an online service, conversation, etc.
Kick
Synonym of kicker
Boot
(slang) To vomit.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to boot all over your couch.
Kick
To strike, thrust, or hit violently with the foot; as, a horse kicks a groom; a man kicks a dog.
He [Frederick the Great] kicked the shins of his judges.
Boot
To shoot, to kill by gunfire.
Kick
To evict or remove from a place or position, usually with out or off; as, they kicked him off the staff; he was kicked out of the restaurant; the landlord kicked them out of the apartment for making too much noise.
Boot
To avail, benefit, profit.
Kick
To score (goals or points) by kicking; as, they kicked three field goals in the game.
Boot
To benefit, to enrich; to give in addition.
Kick
To discontinue; - usually used of habitual activities; as, to kick a habit; he kicked his drug habit.
Boot
(computing) To bootstrap; to start a system, e.g. a computer, by invoking its boot process or bootstrap.
When arriving at the office, the first thing I do is boot my machine.
Kick
To thrust out the foot or feet with violence; to strike out with the foot or feet, as in defense or in bad temper; esp., to strike backward, as a horse does, or to have a habit of doing so.
I should kick, being kicked.
Boot
Remedy; relief; amends; reparation; hence, one who brings relief.
He gaf the sike man his boote.
Thou art boot for many a bruiseAnd healest many a wound.
Next her Son, our soul's best boot.
Kick
To recoil; - said of a musket, cannon, etc.; also called kick back.
Boot
That which is given to make an exchange equal, or to make up for the deficiency of value in one of the things exchanged.
I'll give you boot, I'll give you three for one.
Kick
To make a kick as an offensive play.
Boot
Profit; gain; advantage; use.
Then talk no more of flight, it is no boot.
Helen, to change, would give an eye to boot.
A man's heaviness is refreshed long before he comes to drunkenness, for when he arrives thither he hath but changed his heaviness, and taken a crime to boot.
Kick
To complain strenuously; to object vigorously.
Boot
A covering for the foot and lower part of the leg, ordinarily made of leather.
Kick
To resist.
Boot
An instrument of torture for the leg, formerly used to extort confessions, particularly in Scotland.
So he was put to the torture, which in Scotland they call the boots; for they put a pair of iron boots close on the leg, and drive wedges between them and the leg.
Kick
A blow with the foot or feet; a striking or thrust with the foot.
A kick, that scarce would move a horse,May kill a sound divine.
Boot
A place at the side of a coach, where attendants rode; also, a low outside place before and behind the body of the coach.
Kick
The projection on the tang of the blade of a pocket knife, which prevents the edge of the blade from striking the spring. See Illust. of Pocketknife.
Boot
A place for baggage at either end of an old-fashioned stagecoach.
Kick
A projection in a mold, to form a depression in the surface of the brick.
Boot
An apron or cover (of leather or rubber cloth) for the driving seat of a vehicle, to protect from rain and mud.
Kick
The recoil of a musket or other firearm, when discharged.
Boot
The metal casing and flange fitted about a pipe where it passes through a roof.
Kick
A surge of pleasure; a thrill; - usually used in the phrase get a kick out of; as, I always get a kick out of watching an ice skater do a quadruple jump.
Boot
Booty; spoil.
Kick
The act of delivering a blow with the foot;
He gave the ball a powerful kick
The team's kicking was excellent
Boot
To profit; to advantage; to avail; - generally followed by it; as, what boots it?
What booteth it to others that we wish them well, and do nothing for them?
What subduedTo change like this a mind so far imbuedWith scorn of man, it little boots to know.
What boots to us your victories?
Kick
The swift release of a store of affective force;
They got a great bang out of it
What a boot!
He got a quick rush from injecting heroin
He does it for kicks
Boot
To enrich; to benefit; to give in addition.
And I will boot thee with what gift besideThy modesty can beg.
Kick
The backward jerk of a gun when it is fired
Boot
To put boots on, esp. for riding.
Coated and booted for it.
Kick
Informal terms for objecting;
I have a gripe about the service here
Boot
To punish by kicking with a booted foot.
Kick
The sudden stimulation provided by strong drink (or certain drugs);
A sidecar is a smooth drink but it has a powerful kick
Boot
To boot one's self; to put on one's boots.
Kick
A rhythmic thrusting movement of the legs as in swimming or calisthenics;
The kick must be synchronized with the arm movements
The swimmer's kicking left a wake behind him
Boot
Footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
Kick
Drive or propel with the foot
Boot
British term for the luggage compartment in a car
Kick
Thrash about or strike out with the feet
Boot
The swift release of a store of affective force;
They got a great bang out of it
What a boot!
He got a quick rush from injecting heroin
He does it for kicks
Kick
Strike with the foot;
The boy kicked the dog
Kick the door down
Boot
Protective casing for something that resembles a leg
Kick
Kick a leg up
Boot
An instrument of torture that is used to crush the foot and leg
Kick
Spring back, as from a forceful thrust;
The gun kicked back into my shoulder
Boot
The act of delivering a blow with the foot;
He gave the ball a powerful kick
The team's kicking was excellent
Kick
Stop consuming;
Kick a habit
Boot
Kick; give a boot to
Kick
Make a goal;
He kicked the extra point after touchdown
Boot
Cause to load (an operating system) and start the initial processes;
Boot your computer
Kick
Express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness;
My mother complains all day
She has a lot to kick about
Common Curiosities
Why would someone be kicked from an online platform?
Someone might be kicked from an online platform for violating rules, being disruptive, or compromising the integrity of the space.
Is kicking from online games common?
Yes, kicking from online games is common to maintain a fair and enjoyable environment for all players.
Can all electronic devices boot?
Most electronic devices with a computing element can boot, though the process varies by device complexity.
What is the difference between a soft and hard boot?
A soft boot is restarting the device without interrupting power, while a hard boot involves turning the device off and then on again.
Is booting a one-time setup process?
Booting occurs every time a device starts up, not just during the initial setup.
What happens after someone is kicked from a platform?
After being kicked, the person loses access to the platform or session, at least temporarily.
What does booting a computer mean?
Booting a computer means starting it up, which includes powering on, performing self-tests, and loading the operating system into memory.
Can a user rejoin after being kicked?
Depending on the platform's rules, a user might rejoin after being kicked, possibly after a certain period or rectifying their behavior.
What roles do BIOS/UEFI play in booting?
BIOS/UEFI initializes hardware and provides the environment necessary for the operating system to boot.
Can booting fail? What happens then?
Booting can fail due to hardware or software issues, leading to error messages or a non-responsive device.
Do different devices have different booting processes?
Yes, different devices have varied booting processes, especially between simple electronics and complex computing systems.
Is kicking an automated process?
Kicking can be both automated or manual, depending on the platform's moderation tools.
What's a boot loop?
A boot loop is a failure where the device repeatedly tries and fails to boot, often requiring technical intervention.
How do administrators decide whom to kick?
Administrators decide based on guidelines, user behavior, and the overall impact on the community.
Can kicking be appealed?
On many platforms, users can appeal a kick if they believe it was unjustified, subject to the platform's review process.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
