footwork

American  

[foot-wurk] / ˈfʊtˌwɜrk /

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.

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footwork British  

/ 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

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Etymology

Origin of footwork

First recorded in 1560–70; foot + work

Example Sentences

Paulinha Peixoto, 39, who leads the samba dancers, known for striking outfits and dizzying footwork, said putting on a show was "a team effort".

From Barron's

Everything Malinin does, from the flip, to his quad jumps to even some of his tricky footwork, is an opportunity to slip.

From Los Angeles Times

No matter how deft your footwork there's always someone who wants to put you through hoops.

From BBC

Root's patience at the crease, deft footwork and reading of spin made him the linchpin of England's chase and once he settled in, Sri Lanka found it difficult to know where to bowl to him.

From BBC

And it became famous for Ingle's unconventional training methods which allowed his boxers to become flamboyant and cocksure with fancy footwork.

From BBC

Related Words

• airing
• walk