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foot

Pronunciation: /fʊt/

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Definition of foot

noun (plural feet /fiːt/)

  • 1the lower extremity of the leg below the ankle, on which a person stands or walks.
  • a corresponding part of the leg in vertebrate animals.
  • the part of a sock, stocking, etc. that covers the foot.
  • West Indian a person’s body below the torso, including the entire leg and the foot.
  • [mass noun] literary a person’s manner or speed of walking or running:fleet of foot
  • [treated as plural] British historical or formal infantry; foot soldiers:a captain of foot
  • 2something resembling a foot in form or function, in particular:
  • a projecting part on which a piece of furniture or each of its legs stands.
  • a device on a sewing machine for holding the material steady as it is sewn.
  • Zoology a locomotory or adhesive organ of an invertebrate.
  • Botany the part by which a petal is attached.
  • 3the lower or lowest part of something; the base or bottom:the foot of the stairs complete the form at the foot of the page
  • the end of a table that is furthest from where the host sits.
  • the end of a bed, couch, or grave where the occupant’s feet normally rest.
  • the lower edge of a sail.
  • 4a unit of linear measure equal to 12 inches (30.48 cm):shallow water no more than a foot deep he’s about six feet tall
  • [usually as modifier] Music a unit used in describing a set of organ pipes according to its pitch, the designation being the length of one particular pipe:an 8-foot reed stop
  • [usually as modifier] Music a unit used in describing a set of harpsichord strings playing at the same pitch as a set of organ pipes of the same designation:the 16-foot register
  • 5 Prosody a group of syllables constituting a metrical unit. In English poetry it consists of stressed and unstressed syllables, while in ancient classical poetry it consists of long and short syllables.

verb

[with object] informal
  • 1 (foot it) cover a distance, especially a long one, on foot:the rider was left to foot it ten or twelve miles back to camp
  • [no object] archaic dance: the dance of fairies, footing it to the cricket’s song
  • 2pay (the bill) for something, typically when the amount is considered large or unreasonable.

Phrases

at someone's feet

as someone’s disciple or subject.

be rushed (or run) off one's feet

be very busy.

feet first

with the feet in front: he let himself down the slope feet first
dead, as in a coffin:they hoped to be carried feet first out of the house they lived in for twenty-five years

feet of clay

a fundamental flaw or weakness in a person otherwise revered.
[with biblical allusion (Dan. 2:33) to the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, in which a magnificent idol has feet ‘part of iron and part of clay’; Daniel interprets this to signify a future kingdom that will be ‘partly strong, and partly broken’, and will eventually fall]

get one's feet under the table

chiefly British establish oneself securely in a new situation.

get one's feet wet

begin to participate in an activity.

get (or start) off on the right (or wrong) foot

make a good (or bad) start at something.

have something at one's feet

have something in one’s power or command:a perfect couple with the world at their feet

have (or keep) one's (or both) feet on the ground

be (or remain) practical and sensible:it’s a very exciting time for the business but it’s important that we keep our feet on the ground

have a foot in both camps

have an interest or stake concurrently in two parties or sides:I can have a foot in both the creative and business camps

have (or get) a foot in the door

have (or gain) a first introduction to a profession or organization.

have one foot in the grave

informal, often humorous be near death through old age or illness.

my foot!

informal said to express strong contradiction:‘He’s clever at his business,’ Matilda said. ‘Clever my foot!’

off one's feet

so as to be no longer standing:she was blown off her feet by the shock wave from the explosion

on one's feet

standing:she’s in the shop on her feet all day
well enough after an illness or injury to walk about:we’ll have you back on your feet in no time

on (or by) foot

walking rather than travelling by car or using other transport.

on foot of

Irish because of; by reason of:the decision was taken on foot of advice from the Attorney General

put one's best foot forward

embark on an undertaking with as much effort and determination as possible.

put one's feet up

informal take a rest, especially when reclining with one’s feet raised and supported.

put foot

South African informal hurry up; make a prompt start: we’d better put foot—we’ve only got a couple of hours
[originally in the sense 'press on the accelerator of a car']

put one's foot down

informal
  • 1adopt a firm policy when faced with opposition or disobedience.
  • 2British accelerate a motor vehicle by pressing the accelerator pedal.

put one's foot in it (or put one's foot in one's mouth)

informal say or do something tactless or embarrassing.

put a foot wrong

[usually with negative] make a mistake in performing an action:he hardly put a foot wrong in the first round

set foot on (or in)

[often with negative] enter; go into:he hasn’t set foot in the place since the war

set something on foot

archaic set an action or process in motion: a plan had lately been set on foot for their relief

sweep someone off their feet

quickly and overpoweringly charm someone.

think on one's feet

react to events decisively, effectively, and without prior thought.

to one's feet

to a standing position:he leaped to his feet

under one's feet

in one’s way:when you’re at home you just get under my feet

under foot

on the ground:it is very wet under foot in places

Derivatives

footless

adjective

Origin:

Old English fōt, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch voet and German Fuss, from an Indo-European root shared by Sanskrit pad, pāda, Greek pous, pod-, and Latin pes, ped- 'foot'

foot in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of foot in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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