pulling oneself up by one's own bootstraps

Questions

What does pulling oneself up by one's own bootstraps mean?

present participle of pull oneself up by one's own bootstraps

How to pronounce pulling oneself up by one's own bootstraps

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “pulling oneself up by one's own bootstraps”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “pulling oneself up by one's own bootstraps”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “pulling oneself up by one's own bootstraps” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.