Definition of "reboot" in English

noun

1. (computing) An instance of rebooting.

2. (by extension) A fresh start.

3. (narratology) The restarting of a series' storyline, discarding all previous continuity.

4. (widely considered a misuse) The restarting of a series' storyline without discarding previous continuity.

verb

1. (computing, ergative) To execute a computer's boot process, effectively resetting the computer and causing the operating system to reload, commonly after a system failure.

   • We need to reboot the system after installing these updates.
   • The system reboots every weekend after updates are installed.

2. (by extension) To start afresh.

   • They rebooted the TV series, but it's even worse than the original.

3. Restart; to return to an initial configuration or state.