pussyfoot

American  

[poos-ee-foot] / ˈpʊs iˌfʊt /

verb (used without object)

1. to go or move in a stealthy or cautious manner.

2. to act cautiously or timidly, as if afraid to commit oneself on a point at issue.

   Synonyms:

   straddle, sidestep, dodge, hedge

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noun

plural

pussyfoots

1. a person with a catlike, or soft and stealthy, tread.

2. Chiefly British. a teetotaler or prohibitionist.

pussyfoot British  

/ ˈpʊsɪˌfʊt /

verb

1. to move about stealthily or warily like a cat

2. to avoid committing oneself

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noun

1. a person who pussyfoots

Etymology

Origin of pussyfoot

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95; pussy ¹ + foot

Example Sentences

He took me aside and said sternly, “You can’t pussyfoot it.”

From Salon • Sep. 22, 2024

“We’re not going to pussyfoot around,” he added.

From Washington Post • Jun. 5, 2022

“I don’t want to pussyfoot anymore,” said Marie Harris, a former state poet laureate.

From Slate • Jul. 18, 2019

"Sometimes there isn't time to pussyfoot around," said John Couch, a 50-year-old self-employed party planner, explaining why he thought Trump's directness could help the country.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 27, 2015

“It was until I dropped the bottle, it broke on the floor, and everybody had to pussyfoot around the floor so they wouldn’t get cut by the broken glass,” I said.

From "145th Street: Short Stories" by Walter Dean Myers