Bote
[bˈote]
Jail; also rear, buttocks.
Literally: tin can.
Meaning or origin
If you are into a can, you are not free; you can’t move, get out nor go anywhere. Thus, the can is like a prisoner’s cell, or simply “jail”.
Less frequently, it refers to the “buttocks”. This is an anglicism, in which an English word was transformed into a similar-sounding Spanish word (homophone). Sometimes, such adaptations gain popularity and become general use.
Application
Practically anybody in all of Mexico gets the jail reference, so you just drop it casually. I heard this politician was in jail: “escuché que este político estaba en el bote”.
The key distinction for “jail” and “butt”, is the verb used. The butt you most commonly “move” (as in dancing). Let’s move the butt! “a mover el bote!” is an unequivocal invitation to get up and dance. Make no mistake: you never go into the can unless it is jail.
You can also use “Tambo” - [tˈambo] - (a very common, yet informal name for a 50-gallon barrel) instead of “Bote” (for jail – just for “jail”, mind you!)
Further examples
Long time no see! Were you in jail, or what?
Mucho tiempo sin verte! Estabas en el bote, o qué?Breaking-in is jail.
Allanar es bote.You can visit someone in jail once a month.
“Puedes visitar a alguien en el bote una vez al mes”.