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foot

Syllabification: (foot)
Pronunciation: /fo͝ot/

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Definition of foot

noun (plural feet /fēt/)

  • 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.
  • Zoology a locomotory or adhesive organ of an invertebrate.
  • the part of a sock or stocking that covers the foot.
  • 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
  • 2the lower or lowest part of something standing or perceived as standing vertically; the base or bottom:the foot of the stairs
  • 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.
  • a device on a sewing machine for holding the material steady as it is sewn.
  • Botany the part by which a petal is attached.
  • the lower edge of a sail.
  • 3a unit of linear measure equal to 12 inches (30.48 cm):shallow water no more than a foot deep (Symbol: ʹ)
  • [usually as modifier] Music a unit used in describing sets of organ pipes or harpsichord strings, in terms of the average or approximate length of the vibrating column of air or the string which produces the sound:a sixteen-foot stop
  • 4 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
  • 1pay (the bill) for something, especially when the bill is considered large or unreasonable.
  • 2 (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
  • archaic dance:the dance of fairies, footing it to the cricket’s song

Phrases

at someone's feet

as someone’s disciple or subject:you would like to sit at my feet and thus acquire my wisdom

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 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, especially a task or relationship.

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

gain or have 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:Efficient, 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 around:we’ll have you back on your feet in no time

on (or by) foot

walking rather than traveling by car or using other transport.

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 one's foot down

informal adopt a firm policy when faced with opposition or disobedience.

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

informal say or do something tactless or embarrassing; commit a blunder or indiscretion.

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 reliefCompare with afoot.

sweep someone off their feet

charm someone quickly and overpoweringly.

think on one's feet

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

to one's feet

to a standing position:he leaped to his feet

Derivatives

footed

Pronunciation: /ˈfo͝otəd/

adjective
[in combination]:the black-footed ferret

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 British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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