nimble-footedadj.

1592 A. Fraunce 3rd Pt. Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch f. 42 As thus he stood doubting, his dogs espied his horned Head, light Loelaps first, with nimble-footed Aello Called alowd to the rest.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Two Gentlemen of Verona (1623) v. iii. 6 Being nimble footed, he hath out-run vs. View more context for this quotation

1618 P. Holderus tr. J. van Oldenbarneveld Barneuel's Apol. sig. F4 Wee seldome vice so nimble-footed finde.

1671 R. Head & F. Kirkman Eng. Rogue IV. xiii. 229 Because the streets were then dry..I vainly thought there would be no occasion for Boots those intollerable clogs of a nimble footed Sea man.

1713 J. Smith Poems upon Several Occasions 254 The nimble-footed Hours bestow New Blessings on the Joyful World below.

1733 H. Bracken in W. Burdon Gentleman's Pocket-farrier (new ed.) 5 Choose a Horse that has never drawn, if you desire a Nimble-footed one.

1771 R. Cumberland West Indian ii. v. 22 Shall I..suffer this little nimble-footed Daphne to escape me.

1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas III. vii. xii. 166 The nimble-footed messenger of don Rodrigo.

1893 Cent. Mag. Apr. 904 The monitors were of no use in a seaway, and would fall prey to even a nimble-footed gunboat that could choose its own distance.

1922 Polit. Sci. Q. 37 110 The light-hearted, nimble-footed habitants..numbered scarcely more than fifteen hundred.

1973 Science 181 918 Distances that can be covered only by nimble-footed pack animals.

2000 Guardian (Electronic ed.) 2 Sept. Instead of heroic history we get social details of snotty noses and tubercular lungs, a strategy that makes for a nimble-footed read.

1854 E. J. Morris tr. T. Bügge Afraja 34 She stands firmly on her legs; but as to her nimble-footedness I have some doubt.

1972 Asian Surv. 12 22 A remarkable performance of diplomatic nimblefootedness and ability to dissemble.