traps Idiom

pull oneself up by one's own bootstraps

Idiom(s): pull oneself up (by one's own bootstraps)

Theme: DETERMINATION

to achieve (something) through one's own efforts.
• They simply don’t have the resources to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps.
• If I could have pulled myself up, Id have done it by now.

Pull yourself up by your bootstraps

If you pull yourself up by your bootstraps, you make the effort to improve things for yourself.

pull oneself up by the bootstraps|bootstrap|bootst

adv. phr. To succeed without help; succeed by your own efforts. He had to pull himself up by the bootstraps.

by one's bootstraps

by one's bootstraps
see under pull oneself up by the bootstraps.

pull oneself up by the bootstraps

pull oneself up by the bootstraps
Succeed by one's own efforts, as in She was homeless for nearly two years, but she managed to pull herself up by the bootstraps. This expression alludes to pulling on high boots by means of the straps or loops attached to them at the top. [Early 1900s]

More Idioms/Phrases

pull one's weight pull oneself up by the bootstraps pull round pull someone's chain

English Vocalbulary

booty (Am.) (vulg.) booze booze-up boozed boozehound (coll.) boozer boozers boozes boozier booziest boozily boozing boozy BOP bop (esp. Br.) (coll.) bopped bopping bopping (esp. Br.) (coll.)