foot
- (in vertebrates) the terminal part of the leg, below the ankle joint, on which the body stands and moves.
- (in invertebrates) any part similar in position or function.
- such a part considered as the organ of locomotion.
- a unit of length, originally derived from the length of the human foot. It is divided into 12 inches and equal to 30.48 centimeters. Abbreviation: ft., f.
- foot soldiers; infantry.
- walking or running motion; pace: swift of foot.
- quality or character of movement or motion; tread; step.
- any part or thing resembling a foot, as in function, placement, shape, etc.
- Furniture.
- a shaped or ornamented feature terminating a leg at its lower part.
- any of several short legs supporting a central shaft, as of a pedestal table.
- a rim, flange, or flaring part, often distinctively treated, serving as a base for a table furnishing or utensil, as a glass, teapot, or candlestick.
- the part of a stocking, sock, etc., covering the foot.
- the lowest part, or bottom, of anything, as of a hill, ladder, page, etc.
- a supporting part; base.
- the part of anything opposite the top or head: He waited patiently at the foot of the checkout line.
- the end of a bed, grave, etc., toward which the feet are placed: Put the blanket at the foot of the bed, please.
- Printing. the part of the type body that forms the sides of the groove, at the base.
- the last, as of a series.
- that which is written at the bottom, as the total of an account.
- Prosody. a group of syllables constituting a metrical unit of a verse.
- Usually foots.
- sediment or dregs.
- footlight(def 1).
- Nautical. the lower edge of a sail.
- to walk; go on foot (often followed by it): We'll have to foot it.
- to move the feet rhythmically, as to music or in dance (often followed by it).
- (of vessels) to move forward; sail: to foot briskly across the open water.
- to walk or dance on: footing the cobblestones of the old city.
- to perform (a dance): cavaliers footing a galliard.
- to traverse on or as if on foot.
- to make or attach a foot to: to foot a stocking.
- to pay or settle: I always end up footing the bill.
- to add (a column of figures) and set the sum at the foot (often followed by up).
- to seize with talons, as a hawk.
- to establish.
- Archaic. to kick, especially to kick away.
- Obsolete. to set foot on.
- get/have a/one's foot in the door, to succeed in achieving an initial stage or step.
- get off on the right/wrong foot, to begin favorably or unfavorably: He got off on the wrong foot with a tactless remark about his audience.
- have one foot in the grave. grave1(def 5).
- on foot, by walking or running, rather than by riding.
- put one's best foot forward,
- to attempt to make as good an impression as possible.
- to proceed with all possible haste; hurry.
- put one's foot down, to take a firm stand; be decisive or determined.
- put one's foot in/into it, Informal. to make an embarrassing blunder.Also put one's foot in/into one's mouth.
- set foot on/in, to go on or into; enter: Don't set foot in this office again!
- under foot, in the way: That cat is always under foot when I'm getting dinner.
Origin of foot
Examples from the Web for foot
Contemporary Examples of foot
Together, they crossed over the International Bridges on foot into Juarez to conduct some business.
In the classic skillset of piloting, mental acuity, and its coordination with hand and foot movements, is equally vital.
It made sense with so many suspects at hand, less so with the tower entrance separated from them by a forty foot wall.
Marabella, now licking her lollipop and tapping her foot, appears unfazed.
Along the way, he accidentally embeds a nail in his foot, which is not symbolic at all.
The Walking Dead’s ‘Crossed’: The Stage Is Now Set for a Bloody, Deadly Midseason FinaleMelissa Leon
November 24, 2014
Historical Examples of foot
Eudora blushed deeply, and busily caressed the dog with her foot.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
She did so, and it proved an effectual screen from head to foot.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
Now they neared the foot of the shaft where the rest of the party seemed to await them.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
As for me, not a foot will I budge, till I have seen thee empty that bowl.
The Armourer's PrenticesCharlotte M. Yonge
Besides, this was the first foreign shore his foot had ever trodden.
Brave and BoldHoratio Alger
foot
- the part of the vertebrate leg below the ankle joint that is in contact with the ground during standing and walkingRelated adjective: pedal
- the part of a garment that covers a foot
- any of various organs of locomotion or attachment in invertebrates, including molluscs
- botany the lower part of some plant structures, as of a developing moss sporophyte embedded in the parental tissue
- a unit of length equal to one third of a yard or 12 inches. 1 Imperial foot is equivalent to 0.3048 metreAbbreviation: ft
- any of various units of length used at different times and places, typically about 10 per cent greater than the Imperial foot
- any part resembling a foot in form or functionthe foot of a chair
- the lower part of something; base; bottomthe foot of the page; the foot of a hill
- the end of a series or groupthe foot of the list
- manner of walking or moving; tread; stepa heavy foot
- infantry, esp in the British army
- (as modifier)a foot soldier
- any of various attachments on a sewing machine that hold the fabric in position, such as a presser foot for ordinary sewing and a zipper foot
- music
- a unit used in classifying organ pipes according to their pitch, in terms of the length of an equivalent column of air
- this unit applied to stops and registers on other instruments
- printing
- the margin at the bottom of a page
- the undersurface of a piece of type
- prosody a group of two or more syllables in which one syllable has the major stress, forming the basic unit of poetic rhythm
- a foot in the door an action, appointment, etc, that provides an initial step towards a desired goal, esp one that is not easily attainable
- kick with the wrong foot Scot and Irish to be of the opposite religion to that which is regarded as acceptable or to that of the person who is speaking
- my foot! an expression of disbelief, often of the speaker's own preceding statementhe didn't know, my foot! Of course he did!
- of foot archaic in manner of movementfleet of foot
- on foot
- walking or running
- in progress; astir; afoot
- one foot in the grave informal near to death
- on the right foot informal in an auspicious manner
- on the wrong foot informal in an inauspicious manner
- put a foot wrong to make a mistake
- put one's best foot forward
- to try to do one's best
- to hurry
- put one's foot down informal
- to act firmly
- to increase speed (in a motor vehicle) by pressing down on the accelerator
- put one's foot in it informal to blunder
- set on foot to initiate or start (something)
- tread under foot to oppress
- under foot on the ground; beneath one's feet
- to dance to music (esp in the phrase foot it)
- (tr) to walk over or set foot on; traverse (esp in the phrase foot it)
- (tr) to pay the entire cost of (esp in the phrase foot the bill)
- (usually foll by up) archaic, or dialect to add up
Word Origin for foot
usage
Foot
- Michael (Mackintosh). 1913–2010, British Labour politician and journalist; secretary of state for employment (1974–76); leader of the House of Commons (1976–79); leader of the Labour Party (1980–83)
Word Origin and History for foot
Old English fot, from Proto-Germanic *fot (cf. Old Saxon fot, Old Norse fotr, Dutch voet, Old High German fuoz, German Fuß, Gothic fotus "foot"), from PIE *ped- (cf. Avestan pad-; Sanskrit pad-, accusative padam "foot;" Greek pos, Attic pous, genitive podos; Latin pes, genitive pedis "foot;" Lithuanian padas "sole," peda "footstep"). Plural form feet is an instance of i-mutation. Of a bed, grave, etc., first recorded c.1300.
The linear measurement of 12 inches was in Old English, from the length of a man's foot. Colloquial exclamation my foot! expressing "contemptuous contradiction" [OED] is first attested 1923, probably a euphemism for my ass, in the same sense, which dates back to 1796. The metrical foot (Old English, translating Latin pes, Greek pous in the same sense) is commonly taken as a reference to keeping time by tapping the foot.
To get off on the right foot is from 1905; to put one's best foot foremost first recorded 1849 (Shakespeare has the better foot before, 1596). To put one's foot in (one's) mouth "say something stupid" is attested by 1942; the expression put (one's) foot in something "make a mess of it" is from 1823.
c.1400, "dance, move on foot," from foot (n.). To foot a bill is attested from 1848, from the process of tallying the expenses and writing the figure at the bottom ("foot") of the bill.
foot
(fut)- The lower extremity of the vertebrate leg that is in direct contact with the ground in standing or walking.
- A unit of length in the US Customary and British Imperial systems equal to 12 inches (30.48 centimeters).
foot
- A unit of length in the US Customary System equal to 13 of a yard or 12 inches (30.48 centimeters). See Table at measurement.
Idioms and Phrases with foot
foot
In addition to the idioms beginning with foot
- foot in both camps, have a
- foot in one's mouth, put one's
- foot in the door, get one's
- foot the bill
also see:
- bound hand and foot
- caught flat-footed
- get off on the wrong foot
- not touch with a ten-foot pole
- one foot in the grave
- on foot
- on the right foot
- play footsie
- put one's best foot forward
- put one's foot down
- put one's foot in it
- set foot
- shoe is on the other foot
- shoot oneself in the foot
- wait on hand and foot
Also see underfeet.