Where did the term "Bootleg" come from?

[MCarnet]

Does anyone know the history of the word?

My best guess is that people used to hide the recording devices in their bootleg cut jeans, because they are baggy at the bottom...that is just something that I came up with on my own though.
graemlins/conf44.gif
Does anyone know?



Marc

[ultra]

According to the American Heritage dictionary it comes from the (Old West) smuggler's
practice of carrying liquor in the legs of boots, presumably to hide it.

[MCarnet]

So it does, man, dictionaries are great! I should use these things more often. ;) Thanks Ultra. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

[Martin Red]

Sounds bang on Ultra, the furthest back in history I could see the term being used was, whisky/pochine/moonshine bootleggers etc.

interesting, thankyou.

[kev]

There's a really good book on this subject

click here (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0312142897/qid=1063313020/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/104-8132412-5098342?v=glance&s=books)