1. A loop of leather, cloth, or synthetic material that is sewn at the side or the top rear of a boot to help in pulling the boot on.

2. An instance of starting of a computer; a boot.

3. Statistics A method of estimating a population's characteristics (such as its mean) by repeatedly subsampling from a given initial sample, thereby avoiding the use of theoretical probability distributions.

1. To promote and develop by use of one's own initiative and work without reliance on outside help: "We've bootstrapped our way back with aggressive tourism and recruiting high tech industries" (John Corrigan).

2. Statistics To gather information about a population from a single sample, using repeated samples drawn with replacement.

3. Computers To boot (a computer).

1. Undertaken or accomplished with minimal outside help.

2. Being or relating to a process that is self-initiating or self-sustaining.