1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Booty
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BOOTY (apparently influenced by “boot,” O. Eng. bot, advantage or profit, through an adaptation from an earlier form cognate with Ger. Beute and Fr. butin), plunder or gain. The phrase “to play booty,” dating from the 16th century, means to play into a confederate’s hands, or to play intentionally badly at first in order to deceive an opponent.