Showing results for "footing"

• present participle of foot.

footing

American  

[foot-ing] / ˈfʊt ɪŋ /

noun

• footings
  plural

1. the basis or foundation on which anything is established.

2. the act of one who moves on foot, as in walking or dancing.

3. a secure and established position.

4. a place or support for the feet; surface to stand on; foothold.

5. a firm placing of the feet; stability.

   He regained his footing.

6. Building Trades, Civil Engineering. the part of a foundation bearing directly upon the earth.

7. position or status assigned to a person, group, etc., in estimation or treatment.

8. mutual standing; reciprocal relation.

   to be on a friendly footing with someone.

9. entrance into a new position or relationship.

   to gain a footing in society.

10. a fee demanded from a person upon entrance into a trade, society, etc.

11. the act of adding a foot to something, as to a stocking.

12. that which is added as a foot.

13. the act of adding up a column of figures.

14. the total of such a column.

---

footing British  

/ ˈfʊtɪŋ /

noun

1. the basis or foundation on which something is established

   the business was on a secure footing

2. the relationship or status existing between two persons, groups, etc

   the two countries were on a friendly footing

3. a secure grip by or for the feet

4. the lower part of a foundation of a column, wall, building, etc

5. 1. the act of adding a column of figures

   2. the total obtained

6. rare a fee paid upon entrance into a craft, society, etc, or such an entrance itself

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• footings
  plural

Etymology

Origin of footing

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at foot, -ing ¹

Explanation

Your footing is a supportive place to put your feet when you climb or balance. Once you find your footing at the top of a mountain, you can look around and enjoy the view. Your literal footing is what keeps you sturdy, and if you lose that footing, you stumble. Figuratively, your footing is your status or position, especially when compared to other people. So if every student in your class is on an equal footing, it means your teacher gives them all the same amount of attention and treats them fairly.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

footing footings

But Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said the city should now be on a war footing.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

Here’s a simple step you can take to help you prepare for retirement, manage expectations and maintain your financial footing.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

The central role of the promoter — and the lack of genuine athletic competition in matches — puts wrestlers and management on remarkably unequal footing.

From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026

The European Commission—the EU’s executive arm—in July issued binding instructions for Google to ensure that rival AI services could access features on Android devices to compete on an equal footing with Gemini.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

One young woman lost her footing and nearly fell out of the train in the middle of a toilet break, but fortunately her friends hung on to her.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

In Ada Louise Huxtable’s architecture writing, buildings whirl off their footings and built interiors entice us to dance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 24, 2026

The size of the footings, he said,affects whether the tower is properly grounded.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2025

"The shallow footings of the garages have meant that the archaeological features have been well preserved and many of the finds are in excellent condition," a spokesman said.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2023

As contractors dug into the ground to set footings for an addition to the building, they discovered human bones.

From New York Times ● Oct. 26, 2022

They sat on concrete footings, with about two feet of open space between the floorboards and the ground.

From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston

Related Words

• foothold