footwork

[ foot-wurk ]

noun

1. the use of the feet, foot, as in tennis, boxing, or dancing.
2. travel by foot from one place to another, as in gathering facts or fulfilling an assignment; legwork:

   The project entailed a great deal of footwork.

3. the act or process of maneuvering, especially in a skillful manner:

   It took a bit of fancy footwork to avoid the issue.

footwork

/ ˈfʊtˌwɜːk /

noun

1. skilful use of the feet, as in sports, dancing, etc
2. informal.
   clever manoeuvring

   deft political footwork

3. informal.
   preliminary groundwork

   many estate agents now do the footwork – you only need to visit

Word History and Origins

Origin of footwork¹

First recorded in 1560–70; foot + work

Example Sentences

Whether you’re a swimmer working on your stroke count or soccer player perfecting your footwork, getting out of the pool and off the field is a good way to both exercises and strengthen your mental health.

From Popular-Science

After Irving left Game 4 midway through the second quarter, Griffin seemed to give the Nets a punch with a few buckets that showed nifty footwork and his incredible athleticism.

From FiveThirtyEight

There are skills that are foundational to great tennis — outstanding hand-eye coordination, crisp footwork and peak physical conditioning among them.

From Washington Post

Forward Adrién Pérez, a winter signing making his second start, assisted on Flores’s goal in the seventh minute and created several opportunities with unpredictable runs and clever footwork.

From Washington Post

He has the footwork and balance to maneuver in tight spaces, with crafty fakes to shift his balance and defenders at the same time.

From FiveThirtyEight

He used his strength to overwhelm defenders but he also had nifty footwork, soft hands, and was a beautiful passer.

From The Daily Beast

Smedinghoff sought to make herself more credible by brushing up on her own footwork after-hours.

From The Daily Beast

Shuffling around the ring he has the footwork of a tyrannosaurus.

From The Daily Beast

Tragic footwork by the likes of George W. Bush, Dmitry Medvedev, and Boris Yeltsin turned the politicians into laughing stocks.

From The Daily Beast

The ex-senator survived the CNN debate with some fancy footwork on contraception.

From The Daily Beast

What with the burro's galloping and the man's rapid footwork, they raised quite a cloud of dust.

From Project Gutenberg

A net was put up on the field, and for an hour or so they beat about, regardless of science and footwork.

From Project Gutenberg

The referee twice cautioned Pucking Percy for holding but the pet was tricky and his footwork a treat to watch.

From Project Gutenberg

Tom's agile footwork kept him out of reach of the hard, hammer-like fists of the stranger.

From Project Gutenberg

This last escaped Reade as he blocked the blow, and again displayed a neat little bit of footwork.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• airing
• walk