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

His footwork is precise, his shooting touch soft and his overall game has been improving with his maturity.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

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 • Feb. 12, 2026

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

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026

Vinicius fired the hosts ahead in the 15th minute, showing tidy footwork just inside the area before firing high over Augusto Batalla and into the net.

From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026

First, we had to learn basic fencing footwork: how to advance, retreat, and lunge.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

Related Words

• airing
• walk