请输入您要查询的英文单词：

　

单词 foot
释义

Definition of foot in English:

foot

nounPlural feet fʊtfʊt

  • 1The lower extremity of the leg below the ankle, on which a person stands or walks.

    Example sentencesExamples
    • She stamped one bare foot on the ground.
    • The Antipodes were the body's extremities, its feet or its finger nails.
    • Passive range of motion of the foot and ankle joints should be assessed for indications of restricted movement.
    • He then stepped his right foot in front of him, digging it into the earth in front of him.
    • Her tired, sore feet pounded the pavement.
    • I sometimes feel like I need to dunk my cold feet in some warm water.
    • The floor lit up at intervals below Lissie's feet as she stood in the middle of the dance floor.
    • This mainly affects the ankles, knees and feet, but may also involve the eyes and even the heart.
    • The girls' feet crunched loudly in the near silence after the rain.
    • He stamped his booted foot, knowing that Vin had something to do with her disappearance.
    • Loop one end of the tubing around the ball of the foot with the injured ankle.
    • This slows blood circulation and causes even more fluid to build up in your feet and ankles.
    • He put his left foot in the stirrup, and then sat there.
    • But the dancer's feet moved to the rhythms of Kathak, drummed on the tabla.
    • The discovery will help scientists better understand how our early ancestors began to walk on two feet.
    • A sensor in the heel measures changes in compression each time the wearer's foot hits the ground.
    • Stabilize yourself on an exercise ball with feet hip-width apart and flat on the floor.
    • Gout is caused by deposits of uric acid in joints of the feet or ankles, that lead to inflammatory arthritis.
    • But there is a feeling that Lock has his foot off the pedal here.
    • Swiftly, she sat up, putting her cold bare feet on the wooden floor and standing.
    Synonyms
    informal tootsie, trotter
    (feet) rhyming slangplates of meat
    North American informal dogs
    1. 1.1 A corresponding part of the leg in vertebrate animals.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • They have long snouts, small eyes, large, clawed feet and long nearly naked tails.
      • Therefore, we also drew a small sample of lymph from an incision made into the web between two toes of a hind foot.
      • Their tails are long but not prehensile, and their feet are not syndactylous.
      • Legs and feet of males are mostly black or brown, whereas females are white or red.
      • The symptoms are a milder form of the painful blisters that appear around the mouth, nose and feet in animals.
      • The health of the foot throughout the animal's life is based on a good solid heel base.
      • The animal takes off with a push from its large and muscular hind limbs and lands on its hind feet and tail.
      • Boobies use their wings and feet frequently in displays and in aerial greetings.
      • His left hind foot is set firmly against the hero's head.
      • As in the case of macropodid hind feet, the fourth toe is the longest and strongest.
      • Both the foot and the parapodia are innervated by nerve trunks originating most often from the pedal ganglia.
      • Albatrosses are seabirds with long, narrow wings, a short tail and large webbed feet.
      • At last, their horses' feet touched the dirt of the road.
      • Their talons are sharp and hooked and their feet are zygodactyl with a reversible fourth toe.
      • The floor of the print tends to be drawn upwards as the animal withdrew its foot from wet and sticky sediments.
      • Beyond the cut, the beetle can feed without gumming up its feet and mouthparts.
      • The bird's webbed feet, angled upward, skim across the water.
      • As is true of all members of their order, they are diprotodont and their hind feet are syndactylous.
      • Such a move would be the economic equivalent of an animal gnawing off its foot to get out of a trap.
      • They have an opposable hallux on their hind feet, and their pelage is soft, thick, and wooly.
      Synonyms
      paw, forepaw, hind paw, hoof, trotter, pad
      technical tarsus, ungula
      rare slot, dewclaw
    2. 1.2Zoology A locomotory or adhesive organ of an invertebrate.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • This uncommon lesion occurs predominantly in the small bones of the hands and feet, not the ankle.
      • These two bones together link the leg to the foot at the ankle joint, although it is the tibia which carries all the weight.
      • This is especially common in larger spider veins around the feet and ankles.
      • If no improvement occurs, referral to a podiatric foot and ankle surgeon is appropriate.
      • Typical symptoms include breathlessness, swollen ankles and feet, and extreme tiredness.
    3. 1.3 The part of a sock, stocking, etc. that covers the foot.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Turn right side out and slide the shoe onto the foot of the stocking.
      • Simply knit around and around until the foot of the sock reaches two inches.
      • There are many different knotting styles that can be used for naalbinding, and it was used mainly to produce gloves, or the feet of socks.
    4. 1.4West Indian A person's body below the torso, including the entire leg and the foot.
    5. 1.5literary mass noun A person's manner or speed of walking or running.
      fleet of foot
      Example sentencesExamples
      • In his position, Bergkamp has never really felt the necessity for speed of foot.
      • Applied to what is known about dinosaurs, it shows that large dinosaurs were probably not fleet of foot.
      • The men who they select from the whole force and station in the van are fleet of foot and fit admirably into cavalry action.
      • He had never been strong, but his Nymphian heritage had blessed him with speed, as he was light and fleet of foot.
      • Next the team's linebackers are fleet of foot and quick to the tackle.
      • No animal is so fleet of foot or so powerful that it will not one day succumb to the jaws of the hyena.
      • Fleet of foot and chock-full of pop hooks, Franz will outpace it.
      • Belloc's was a grey and white stallion called Nightwind, an aptly named steed for he was as silent as he was fleet of foot.
      • Not a devastating puncher, the charismatic Baby Bull, more than makes up for it with uncanny speed of foot and hand.
      • The young Ali was pure boxing brilliance, backing up his bravado with breathtaking speed of hand and foot and sublime skills.
      • It seems the one who is fleet of foot and fair of face didn't fancy staying in France for another year.
      • Sunny Bay is renowned for its quick turn of foot and it often made good late runs to surge ahead at the line.
      • However, he is armed with two things which are valued higher than anything else these days, speed of foot and a refusal to lose.
      • It demonstrated US ability to be fleet of foot in a rapidly changing situation.
      • The hardy of soul and fleet of foot will be Yomping through Eden this summer.
      • So they opt for an alternative offer, usually with a small firm that is more fleet of foot.
      • They can be daring, innovating in their original approach to scams, and certainly fleet of foot.
      • Even today, Campbell is remembered more for his bruising running style than for being fleet of foot.
    6. 1.6British historical, formal treated as plural Infantry; foot soldiers.
      a captain of foot

  • 2A projecting part on which a piece of furniture or each of its legs stands.

    Example sentencesExamples
    • The table's feet, he added, are larger but similar to those on the museum's Cadwalader screen.
    • A small ball of clay or soil, pressed around the foot of the chair, bewildered us.
    1. 2.1 A device on a sewing machine for holding the material steady as it is sewn.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • When threading up any sewing machine make sure the foot is 'up' as this opens the tension disks and the thread goes between.
      • A presser foot, for a sewing machine for use in sewing slide fasteners to garments, has a foot portion pivotally mounted on a vertically movable presser bar.
    2. 2.2Botany The part by which a petal is attached.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The three-lobed labellum is attached to the column by a column foot, where the nectary is located.

  • 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
    Example sentencesExamples
    • In Satyagraha in South Africa, he speaks of the surpassing beauty of Cape Town situated at the foot of the Table Mountain.
    • There's a list of around 300 names in a display case at the foot of the outside stairs.
    • Tomorrow, the team will be dropped by helicopter into the jungle and must trek to their base at the foot of a volcano.
    • The flower girl reached the throne and then carefully sprinkled the rest of the flower petals at the foot of the royal chair.
    • Mr Oglesby-Wellings fell on to a tree, through its branches and came to rest at the foot of the cliff face.
    • The dive base lay at the foot of a steep boulder slope, overhung by a high, arched ceiling adorned with enormous stalactites.
    • Today, this prime area of land at the foot of Table Mountain, continues to remain vacant.
    • He came on with Jessica St Rose aka Pepper Sauce, as her small but vibrant fan base rushed to the foot of the stage.
    • She had been laid to rest at the foot of the small hill opposite the hospital.
    Synonyms
    bottom, base, toe, edge, end, lowest part, lowest point, lower limits
    foundation
    1. 3.1 The end of a table that is furthest from where the host sits.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Rafael starts speaking in an obscure accent as he collapses at the foot of the conference table.
      • Linda sits at the foot of the dinner table and we give her scraps.
      • Two elegant chair arms add comfort and make this chair ideal for the head or foot of the dining table.
    2. 3.2 The end of a bed, couch, or grave where the occupant's feet normally rest.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The boy-leader came over, took the blanket from the foot of the couch, and draped it over my shoulders.
      • He sat at the foot of the grave, and let the tears come, for what seemed like hours.
      • I missed it, instead my back hit against the bed rail post at the foot of the bed.
      • Stray cats will not be allowed to sleep in our bed under the covers except at the foot.
      • She kicked the covers to the foot of the bed, swapped her pillow for another, and nestled as close to the wall as she could.
      • Amanda drops her duffle bag at the foot of the couch and slumps down in the loveseat adjacent to it, exhausted.
      • It reached the foot of the futon and paused for breath.
      • The faint smell of bacon and eggs was in the air, and Fat Louie rested comfortably at the foot of his bed as normal.
      • The boys' mother had put James' Christmas stocking at the foot of his bed, instead of the side.
      • Quartz stopped at the foot of his grave, tears flowing down her cheeks.
      • I lift the covers at the foot of the bed and grab at her, mostly getting a handful of her skirt.
      • Yashi bent down and smartly snapped the plug socket by the foot of the bed, cutting the power supply to the CD player.
      • I have got a plot reserved for myself at the foot of their graves, but I don't like the thought of them being dug up later, splitting up the family.
      • The Australian sailor looks saddened as he puts a stuffed animal at the foot of her bed.
      • At the foot of his bed was a dated map of the old territories.
      • He would rest at the foot of the bed until I was ready to go to sleep.
      • Joel awoke the next day to find Oak Branch and Ivy Petal at the foot of his bed.
      • I set the stone at the foot of her grave and stared at it in silence for awhile, remembering her face, voice, and actions.
    3. 3.3 The lower edge of a sail.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • One must be careful not to cup the sail with too little tension on the foot of the sail by having the outhaul to loose.
      • With the sail laying down, rake sail back until the foot of the sail is touching the tail of the board.

  • 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
    Example sentencesExamples
    • He stood six feet tall and was covered in coarse black fur.
    • With grayish brown fur and a nearly naked tail, the animals rarely grow to more than half a foot long.
    • Nikki said the animal was about five feet long with green eyes.
    • He had dodged right into a ring of fire only twenty feet in diameter.
    • They will safely see you through Hermit Rapid at 12,000 cubic feet per second.
    • Off the living room is an east-facing balcony measuring five feet by six feet.
    • He then stepped back three feet and closed his eyes.
    • Takeshi stood a good six feet tall for a young man of 16.
    • The monster dived at Tekken as he did a back flip ten feet into the air.
    • There was a steel grate in the ceiling about three feet by three feet.
    • "The observation deck is over ten thousand feet above ground, " she said at one point.
    • A separate building offers another 11, 625 square feet of retail space.
    • They were standing on a smallish island no more than one hundred feet in diameter.
    • Maximum flood rates reached 1.6 million cubic feet per second.
    • Some places report two feet of water in the streets.
    • How could one lift a twenty ton stone ten feet into the air?
    • Sally could have sworn that Michael jumped four feet into the air.
    • The center was a large room a good five hundred feet in diameter and several stories high.
    • He lunged for her, grabbing her arm as she dangled dangerously a few hundred feet off the ground.
    • The four-story project will comprise 40 condos and 7,500 square feet of retail space.
    1. 4.1Music usually as modifier 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
    2. 4.2Music usually as modifier 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
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The largest harpsichord in the collection is described as possessing five registers and four sets of strings, one of which was probably a sixteen-foot stop.
      • Normally it would consist of two eight foot stops and a four foot stop.

  • 5Prosody
    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.

    Example sentencesExamples
    • A trochee is a metrical foot of two syllables, the first long and the second short.
    • But she genuinely excels on those occasions when she employs a mixture of metrical feet.
    • The division of a line of poetry into feet is much like the division of a musical phrase into bars.
verb fʊtfʊt
foot itinformal

  • 1Cover a distance, especially a long one, on foot.

    the rider was left to foot it ten or twelve miles back to camp
    Example sentencesExamples
    • You could either sit in your car and wait, and wait, and wait, or you could hot foot it to your destination a lot quicker.
    • Unfortunately, the bus driver decides to call a one-man strike at the Palazzo Venezia and we have to foot it from there.
    • I carried on to the client's home and then hot footed it back home to get David.
    • The vibrant heart of Pattaya has been ripped out, and replaced mostly by hordes of disconsolate people footing it to North Pattaya.
    • ‘Yeah, let's go find a takeaway,’ agreed Ron, as they hot footed it outside.
    • But we didn't have time to worry about that, so we got changed in the hotel's swimming pool changing rooms (!) and hot footed it to the wedding.
    Synonyms
    go by foot, go on foot, travel on foot, foot it, be a pedestrian
    1. 1.1archaic Dance.
      the dance of fairies, footing it to the cricket's song
      Synonyms
      trip, sway, spin, whirl, twirl, pirouette, gyrate

Phrases

  • at someone's feet

    • As someone's disciple or subject.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • Younger children intermittently sit at their feet and race around with their friends.
      • We never sit at their feet and learn from their experiences.
      • You will sit right at their feet and be enraptured by every idea.
      • I moved to go sit at Haru 's feet, as any other companion was supposed to do.
      • Then, as the rig drifts toward the lake, everyone gathers around and sits at Litton 's feet.
      • Their gift was to leave indelible memories of the beauty of English poetry on all who sat at their feet.
      • I tell the youth that they must respect the elders and try to learn from them by sitting at their feet.
      • Ashka dashed past the two of them and sat on the stairs at Teenan 's feet.
      • Do your students sit at your feet and follow your every word, is that an ideal relationship?
      • Alison looked at Julie, sitting at Mistress Farnham 's feet and learning to knit.

  • be rushed (or run) off one's feet

    • Be very busy.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • ‘We've been rushed off our feet for hours,’ explained the former Rangers star with a twinkle.
      • Day soon turned into night, the shop got busier, and I was rushed off my feet, but my mind not really in this world.
      • A spokesman said: ‘We had expected to do brisk business, but we were rushed off our feet.’
      • Posties have been weighed down delivering the Christmas post and bar staff have been rushed off their feet.
      • But despite being rushed off their feet, staff remained courteous.
      • There are only a few people who can do it and the woman for this area is run off her feet.
      • With 156 bedrooms to keep spic and span, she is rushed off her feet.
      • She was red in the face, partly from embarrassment and partly from being rushed off her feet - the inn was unusually busy.
      • He said yesterday: ‘The hotel and restaurant have been open for several months now, and we have been rushed off our feet.’
      • I'm confident they'll clock up a lot of mileage because we're used to being rushed off our feet round here.

  • the boot is on the other foot

    • The situation, in particular the holding of advantage, has reversed.

      the reorganization means the boot is now on the other foot

  • feet of clay

    • A fundamental flaw or weakness in a person otherwise revered.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • When you know people's feet of clay before they become idols it is difficult to reimagine them.
      • That much is true but ultimately I think we read Durcan not because he is ‘a God’ but because, like the rest of us, he has feet of clay.
      • Political leaders have feet of clay and wallets wide.
      • Then I met him and I thought he was very much a man with feet of clay, which is very sad.
      • It was Solidarity's strength that showed - to those willing to see - that the Soviet colossus had feet of clay.
      • For, most of us like our heroes with feet of clay.
      • Good or evil, it was an empire with feet of clay that shattered noisily with the Berlin Wall in 1989.
      • Samson was the Book of Judge's star performer and he had considerable feet of clay in keeping with this historical low point.
      • But I think - I saw it described once as realising your parents have feet of clay and then as you get older realising that you do as well.
      • Our generation at least had had political heros who motivated us even though they were finally shown to have feet of clay.

  • foot the bill

    • Pay the bill for something, typically when the amount is considered large or unreasonable.

      the couple were left to foot the bill after their claim was declined by their travel insurers
      Synonyms
      pay, pay up, pay out, pay the bill, settle up

  • get one's feet under the table

    • Establish oneself securely in a new situation.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • Now there is going to be a new chief executive who will have to settle in and get his feet under the table, which is unsettling for staff.
      • And of course Galbraith was moved as soon as Henry McLeish got his feet under the table.
      • The pigopolists have barely got their feet under the table and already demanding more.
      • The Sky Blues have flown to Portland and Salt Lake City as part of their pre-season preparations and McNamee has got his feet under the table.
      • Until he gets his feet under the table in February, it will not be clear what a Perry-led SE will look like.
      • That will give Butt or Scholes the opportunity to get their feet under the table with their new South American buddy.

  • get one's feet wet

    • Begin to participate in an activity.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • Beginning snorkelers may opt to get their feet wet in Grotto Beach's tranquil waters (take a complimentary lesson first).
      • It's a great thing for getting your feet wet and figuring out whether blogging is something to which you want to devote some time.
      • And even holy people, who can sometimes seem a bit precious about getting their feet wet, can't keep out the commercial tide.
      • So I got my feet wet there and through high school, so I was very fascinated with acting as a means of expression.
      • Both women admit, however, that getting their feet wet in the business world was a bit of a scary venture at first.

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

    • Make a good (or bad) start at something.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • We started off on the wrong foot, and now she has a lot of attitude and is rude and mean.
      • ‘There is no getting away from our responsibilities,’ he begins, starting off on the right foot.
      • I got off on the wrong foot in that first scene that has snakes in the bed.
      • Preparations this year quickly got off on the wrong foot.
      • The Scots started off on the wrong foot in doubles play, losing two out of three matches, therefore dropping the doubles point.
      • Maybe we started off on the wrong foot because she came to me at 3: 00 am as a last minute transfer out of the ICU.
      • I said I just wanted the Mahler version, so we got off on the wrong foot.
      • When we met them last week, they told us they had started off on the wrong foot and to go home and think about what our homes were worth.
      • And I don't know, it just all got off on the wrong foot.
      • Many of our housing developments started off on the right foot, with open spaces and strictly adhered to building codes.

  • have something at one's feet

    • Have something in one's power or command.

      a perfect couple with the world at their feet
      Example sentencesExamples
      • An active and vociferous campaigner against drugs too, Paula literally has the athletics world at her feet in adoration.
      • ‘And if you can fake that,’ he would say, ‘you'll have the world at your feet.’
      • Today, they have the world at their feet after being plucked from the streets of Greater Manchester to become international models.
      • And despite her share of legendary blunders, she still manages to have the world at her feet.
      • These three girls have the world at their feet when it comes to Irish dancing.
      • Whatever happens this weekend Khan has already proved he has the world at his feet.
      • We can provide him with massive exposure and if he stays until the next Olympics he will have the world at his feet.
      • Oil under their feet changed their lifestyle in earnest from herding goats out in the desert to having the world at their feet.
      • With Faustus' great mind, proclaims Valdes, they will be able to harness the powers of black magic and have the world at their feet.
      • Not only are they gifted players, they are also great personalities who have the football 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
      Example sentencesExamples
      • It keeps his feet on the ground, and it's nice to see him taking part in the fun where it all starts for players.
      • I have my feet on the ground but remain confident I can go through.
      • He's held his own and kept his feet on the ground since coming in and is growing in stature with each game.
      • But he remains confident that ‘a good poem allows you to have your feet on the ground and your head in the air simultaneously’.
      • If he keeps his feet on the ground and maintains his progress, he'll be fine.
      • They were always genuine and kept their feet on the ground even after hitting the big time.
      • ‘Jason is a great guy who has always kept his feet on the ground,’ said Campbell.
      • My family, especially, is very supportive and has kept my feet on the ground.
      • I see myself as a normal person, and that's what keeps your feet on the ground.
      • Job offers came in but rather than running off to the US or London, Dorren kept his 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
      Example sentencesExamples
      • He is also a farm inspector for both traditional and organic farms, and he said it was unusual to have a foot in both camps.
      • T.J. has now had a foot in both camps so he can speak on this subject with some authority.
      • What is particularly gratifying in Osborne's work, is that he shows us how court families maintained a foot in each camp.
      • So I kept my Boroughmuir hat on to an extent, and in many ways have a foot in both camps.
      • But where do you put those of us who have a foot in both camps?
      • As one of those Reading Champions, I now have a foot in both camps.
      • It is Lasley who seems to have a foot in both camps, to straddle two ages: he is a young man with an older head screwed on top.
      • ‘In some senses, I've had a foot in both camps,’ he said.
      • And in between stands the multinational corporation which has a foot in both camps if you like.
      • So I see this as very much a yin-and-yang relationship, and most of us happily have a foot in both camps.

  • have (or get) a foot in the door

    • Have (or gain) a first introduction to a profession or organization.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • The goal, as Morris puts it, is ‘to encourage students to get a foot in the door of the industry.’
      • A spokesperson for the Athy ICA said: It is a positive step, we are happy to have a foot in the door.
      • So maybe, if you want to get a foot in the door, this is the way to go.
      • The BNP failed to get a foot in the door at the town hall again.
      • Three times they've had a foot in the door to Super League - and three times it's been slammed in their faces.
      • Inexperienced candidates looking to get a foot in the door may have to work free.
      • Basically when I came here we were trying to get a foot in the door domestically.
      • Little wonder that first home buyers cannot get a foot in the door.
      • He doesn't want to spend his whole career bashing the establishment if they're inviting him to get a foot in the door.
      • If someone gets a foot in the door, performance (no other criteria) in getting good returns is almost always given for promotion.

  • have one foot in the grave

    • humorous, informal Be near death through old age or illness.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • This, they said, would be the last Scottish Cup tie ever to unfold in the stadium that already has one foot in the grave.
      • But I already had one foot in the grave - so to speak - so I shrugged.
      • Well, the last Oireachtas final has definitely been played; the inter-provincial competition has one foot in the grave.
      • He may not have one foot in the grave, but someone else has a full body in it.
      • You don't have to have one foot in the grave to remember the bookies' runners surreptitiously collecting betting slips in pubs.
      • Given this precarious situation we may already have one foot in the grave.
      • I simply don't want people to think that I have one foot in the grave.
      • And without the game he loves, he looks to have one foot in the grave.
      • Yes, Ozzy still has one foot in the grave, but the songs are still great performed by the original band.
      • In my industry that is like having one foot in the grave.
      Synonyms
      deteriorate, decline, fade, fail, weaken, grow weak, flag, languish, degenerate, decay, waste away

  • hold someone's feet to the fire

    • Put pressure on a person or organization in order to obtain a desired result.

      he vowed to hold the government's feet to the fire on this issue

  • my foot!

    • informal Said to express strong contradiction.

      ‘He's clever at his business,’ Matilda said. ‘Clever my foot!’
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The note cautioned against any weakness of agreeing to any increase in the strength of Allied (allied, 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
      Example sentencesExamples
      • It's no use waiting for a knight in shining armour to ride in and sweep you off your feet.
      • Take for example, the morning rush for trains - beware of the liquid crowds of commuters that will whisk you away and off your feet.
      • She was scheduled to get some foot surgery and had to be off her feet for eight weeks, starting four days from then.
      • If you really dig your heels into the sand, you won't get knocked off your feet when your stellar reputation is in question.
      • You will need to eat, you will need to take the weight off your feet and yet, at so many of the provincial tracks, eating and sitting are poorly resourced.
      • Or sit down, take the weight off your feet - look into the middle distance and dream a bit.
      • Champagne, a manicure and half an hour to take the weight off your feet - what more could a girl want?
      • Doing so will take a load off your feet, and prevent your brain from becoming clogged, cluttered or crashing like your hapless personal computer.
      • Saturday morning was hideous - the raw wind nearly took you off your feet and the cold rain cut right through my thin jacket.
      • At times, the pain and the pressure are enough to knock you off your feet.

  • on one's feet

    • 1Standing.

      she's in the shop on her feet all day
      Example sentencesExamples
      • To be fair, I don't think he was looking for a penalty - he just wasn't coordinated enough to stay on his feet.
      • You get up on your feet and walk to the table to eat.
      • Instead, he swaggered awkwardly on his feet and walked about as if in a drunken state.
      • Marie was now standing on her feet, staring at the approaching aircraft.
      • I am not having him standing and shouting while I am on my feet.
      • The thought of uniting was inevitable and my only chance of standing on my feet until I managed.
      • The lunch break that Ser'na allowed was short, so they were soon back on their feet and walking again.
      • So you spend a lot of time on your feet, walking around?
      • I also believe bringing back standing sections would solve the problem of people getting on their feet in all-seater areas.
      • You spend all day on your feet shopping with a friend.
      • Nearby there is a standing desk, which allows him to stay on his feet as he works.
      • As soon as I got the chance I was on my feet and walking again.
      • In fact, they themselves walked unsteadily on their feet probably as a result of beer effect.
      1. 1.1Well enough after an illness or injury to walk about.
        we'll have you back on your feet in no time
        Example sentencesExamples
        • But hopefully Bosley will be back on his feet and walking again in two months.
        • We've been held up for some time thanks to an injury to Josemi, but he seems to be on his feet again now.
        • I didn't think that you would be well enough to be on your feet.
        • On Tuesday, Maradona was on his feet for the first time, walking around his hospital room.
        • It is nice to be back on my feet again and walking around at last.
        • Before the end of that week, I was able to stand on my feet and walk again!
        • Brendan is recovering from a recent arm injury and hopefully he will be back on his feet soon.
        • This lady who the doctors said could never be on her feet again was actually walking!
        • The doctors want her up on her feet in a few hours and walking around by tonight.

  • on (or by) foot

    • Walking rather than travelling by car or using other transport.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • The first time he came was in 1945 when the main means of transport was by foot or rickshaw.
      • In the past, hockey fans could walk on foot for miles to watch their favourite stars.
      • Travelling by foot is completely free of charge and even in Skandia Cowes Week there were no weary queues.
      • In the end, we set off on foot and walk for an hour before we manage to flag a taxi down at a crossroads.
      • The next town was a two days walk by foot but only half a day at most by horse and wagon.
      • Motorists were forced to abandon their vehicles in the road and walk the remaining distance on foot.
      • The name of this area is Martin Place, so make sure you stick to it for hassle-free, speedy travel by foot!
      • Travelling on foot forces you to engage with bits of the country you don't see from a vehicle.
      • He walked on foot into the forest as he had done many times, looking for any signs of movement in the bushes ahead.
      • The marchers will travel, by foot and bus, through Baltimore and New Jersey before arriving in New York for a rally.

  • on the back foot

    • Outmanoeuvred by a competitor or opponent; at a disadvantage.

      Messi's early goal put Milan on the back foot
      the government found itself on the back foot as peaceful demonstrations continued
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The polls may not show much change but the government gives all the appearances of being on the back foot.
      • In reply, Australia were immediately on the back foot with the loss of David Warner for one.
      • Surprisingly Spurs didn't spend the rest of the night on the back foot.
      • His opponent, Leonardo Mayer, opted for an attacking game that put Murray on the back foot.
      • The exodus of people from the coastal areas of the city following media reports of a fresh tsunami on Monday night caught the administration on the back foot.
      • Crime is falling, gangland criminals are on the back foot and more gardai are on the beat than ever before.
      • In early trading today the dollar was on the back foot in Asia after suffering its biggest one day decline in three years against the Japanese yen.
      • The bank, unable to defend its position, has been on the back foot since news of the bid was leaked last Sunday.
      • The Irish government appeared to be put on the back foot.
      • By the early summer of 1918, the German submarines were clearly on the back foot.

  • on foot of

    • Because of; by reason of.

      the decision was taken on foot of advice from the Attorney General
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The council established a special unit last year to look into outstanding levies due on foot of granted planning permissions.
      • A spokesperson for the site said they were very disappointed that on foot of legal advice they had to shut the service down.
      • Further decisions could be taken on foot of that, he said.
      • It was on foot of one of these monthly reviews that the decision to close the nursery was taken in August.
      • There will then be a verifiable record of what action is taken on foot of that.

  • on the front foot

    • Outmanoeuvring a competitor or opponent; at an advantage.

      City were on the front foot from the word go
      the Prime Minister's bellicose performance was motivated by a desire to get back on the front foot
      Example sentencesExamples
      • We now have to get on the front foot and market the city aggressively.
      • If you work in controversial areas, there is much to be gained by being on the front foot with the media.
      • As any first-year PR student would tell you, it pays to get on the front foot early.
      • These measures have the potential to slow down our trade and add costs to traders, unless we go on the front foot.
      • Liverpool started the game on the front foot.
      • We started well and were on the front foot early on.
      • Soon enough Hearts were again on the front foot, their ability to spread the play leaving Aberdeen's players chasing shadows.
      • The fashion show was a chance for him to put his new company back on the front foot.
      • That completely turned the game around, and he was on the front foot once again.
      • The Border Security Bill will put New Zealand's security on the front foot.

  • put one's best foot forward

    • Embark on an undertaking with as much effort and determination as possible.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • Scouts have been putting their best foot forward to map out walking routes in Greenmount and Tottington.
      • It's all about the business and putting your best foot forward.
      • Darwen children will be putting their best foot forward to raise money for Barnardo's children's charity.
      • ‘Politics is about putting your best foot forward and putting the other person in the worst light,’ Mr. Goldstein said.
      • I mean, sure, you get disappointed because you go out there putting your best foot forward.
      • More than 13,000 Wiltshire pupils have been putting their best foot forward to mark International Walk to School Week.
      • He will be putting his best foot forward and walking the 30 miles from Bolton on Good Friday.
      • Right or left, he is intent on putting his best foot forward and leaving nightmare stories behind.
      • In addition, there have been various groups/troupes putting their best foot forward.
      • An actuary from Brentford will be putting her best foot forward in this year's London marathon, to help charity Whizzkids.

  • put one's feet up

    • informal Take a rest, especially when reclining with one's feet raised and supported.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • Why not put your feet up in your plush recliner and snuggle up in your $1,000 cashmere throw?
      • The Great Hall is a place to relax and put your feet up, not to feel that your culture is inferior to another.
      • I'm always glad to get home, put my feet up and relax.
      • Sale's try-scoring wing-wizard is staying on in Australia and will put his feet up and rest after a stamina-sapping Lions tour.
      • There is a wide range of activities there, including a cyber cafe, as well as a place to relax and put one's feet up.
      • Rather than putting his feet up for a well-earned rest following his tour, Peter brought fun and laughter to the hospice.
      • We trained a little and managed to put our feet up for a deserved rest and a little bit of sun.
      • It's cosy, and the perfect place to put your feet up and relax with a well-earned pint.
      • We need a part of the town where people can relax, put their feet up and, in the summer especially, enjoy the good weather.
      • When it comes time to pump, find a nice, relaxing environment, put your feet up, listen to music, and try not to think about work.
      Synonyms
      relax, take a rest, ease off, ease up, let up, slow down, pause, have a break, take a break, unbend, repose, laze, idle, loaf, do nothing, take time off, slack off, unwind, recharge one's batteries, be at leisure, take it easy, sit back, sit down, stand down, lounge, luxuriate, loll, slump, flop, put one's feet up, lie down, go to bed, have a nap, take a nap, nap, catnap, doze, have a siesta, take a siesta, drowse, sleep

  • put foot

    • informal Hurry up; make a prompt start.

      we'd better put foot—we've only got a couple of hours
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Both Dick and I just put foot on the accelerator and sped off.
      Synonyms
      be quick, hurry up, move quickly, go fast, hasten, make haste, speed, speed up, lose no time, press on, push on, run, dash, rush, hurtle, dart, race, fly, flash, shoot, streak, bolt, bound, blast, charge, chase, career, scurry, scramble, scamper, scuttle, sprint, gallop, go hell for leather, go like lightning

  • put one's foot down

    • 1informal Adopt a firm policy when faced with opposition or disobedience.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • Naturally Lou doesn't want to spend the extra cash on staff, but this time Harold is being the top and putting his foot down about it.
      • And Mesereau puts his foot down and says you've got to step out of the way.
      • Then I thought it's because she's really nice, but then she puts her foot down.
      • And the parents had put their foot down and denied permission.
      • I have thought of putting my foot down but I have a sneaking suspicion some of the unruly behaviour is vaguely familiar.
      • If girls themselves put their foot down, maybe some change would come.
      • ‘The key to faking it,’ Johanna, 12, says, is putting your foot down: ‘Refuse to be lured into nervousness!’
      • And it gets to the point where you have to put your foot down and just say I'm sorry, but this interview is over.
      • Many employers are putting their foot down when it comes to hiring veiled women.
      • He will probably continue to do so until management puts their foot down.

    • 2informal Accelerate a motor vehicle by pressing the accelerator pedal.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • When the door had closed and they were all seated Jo put her foot down on the accelerator.
      • In the traditional automatic, you put your foot down and then wait while the gearbox does its best to catch up with your instructions.
      • I put my foot down on the accelerator and sped away from the city.
      • Greg hadn't gotten his seat belt on, when Maxine put her foot down on the accelerator, and peeled out, after Jenny.
      • I turned to Laura and nodded before she put her foot down on the accelerator and sped off in the direction of her and Paul's houses.
      • I stared at the crashed car in the rear view mirror until it was out of sight, then I put my foot down on the accelerator.
      • He put his foot down on the accelerator, slamming into the back of the white car.
      • A muscle started to twitch in his cheek as he put his foot down and accelerated through the deserted streets.
      • ‘I'm not having this,’ muttered Sarah and put her foot down on the accelerator.
      • Due to my refusal he put his foot down on the accelerator.
      Synonyms
      hurry, go fast, go quickly, make haste, hurtle, dash, dart, race, rush, fly, flash, shoot, streak, bolt, bound, blast, charge, chase, career, hurry up, speed up, scurry, scramble, scamper, scuttle, sprint, run, gallop, go like lightning, go hell for leather

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

    • informal Say or do something tactless or embarrassing.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • These terms might not exactly trip off the tongue, but they could stop you putting your foot in it.
      • I know I for one love comments but am always reticent to say too much on other folks' blogs for fear of putting my foot in my mouth.
      • He was constantly in fear of putting his foot in his mouth, of exposing his lack of learning.
      • Although I did, for the most part, manage to avoid putting my foot in my mouth over the weekend I am guilty of committing one little faux pas.
      • And even while he's praising things, the author seems to be putting his foot in his mouth.
      • Speaking of sports ministers, it seems they all have a knack for putting their foot in it.
      • We had one conversation about putting your foot in it.
      • But every time you feel you might just have some sympathy for Archer he puts his foot in it again.
      • One of his many problems is that he constantly puts his foot in it!
      • It's a pity he didn't do his homework before putting his foot in his mouth with his announcement.
      Synonyms
      make a mistake, be mistaken, err, be in error, misjudge, miscalculate, bungle, trip up, be wrong, get something wrong, be wide of the mark

  • put a foot wrong

    • usually with negativeMake a mistake in performing an action.

      he hardly put a foot wrong in the first round
      Example sentencesExamples
      • He's the most expensive goalkeeper in the world and hardly put a foot wrong.
      • For three years now the Queen's eldest son has hardly put a foot wrong in public life.
      • Hardly put a foot wrong and used his head to good effect with a vital late clearance.
      • A surprise selection at right back but he hardly put a foot wrong, either defensively or in possession.
      • And for a set and three quarters, Davenport hardly put a foot wrong.
      • He was not at all inconvenienced by the furious pace and hardly put a foot wrong over the Prestbury Park fences.
      • Jay-Jay's been sensational, Laville's hardly put a foot wrong.
      • But the film, shot largely on digital video, allowing it to use mostly natural light in a smoky, hazy look, hardly puts a foot wrong.
      • They hardly put a foot wrong and contributed 16 points, converting two of the three tries and putting over four penalties.
      • That is of little relevance however, since he never puts a foot wrong in a performance that is almost better than it has a right to be.
      Synonyms
      perpetrate, commit, be responsible for, be guilty of, be to blame for

  • set foot on (or in)

    • often with negativeEnter; go into.

      he hasn't set foot in the place since the war
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Ten years ago, Prestwick was known chiefly as the only place in Britain that Elvis Presley had ever set foot in.
      • As we set foot into the promising future year after year, the greatest challenge facing any youngster is a career that will lead him to success.
      • Shipley's is one of the most depressing places I've ever set foot in.
      • The man who has done little else but fight for a country he has never set foot in, is ready to lay down his life for it.
      • So it was with a certain sense of the unknown that I stepped into the most tucked away recording studio I've ever set foot in.
      • So why head to the other side of the world to start afresh in a country that they have never set foot on before?
      • So, when I got to Harvard I never even had a chance to set foot in the library.
      • It's odd to hear this as you enter a country you have never before set foot in.
      • She had been charged with perjury, after claiming in court she had never set foot in there.
      • Burai tried to ignore that as he entered and set foot on the white soiled floor.

  • set something on foot

    • archaic Set an action or process in motion.

      a plan had lately been set on foot for their relief
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The purposes with which they are set on foot are profit, honour, or avoidance of loss or dishonour.
      • We set enquiries on foot, and it turned out that there had been an overnight break-out from Barnyards' field.
      • This, however, would require organization and some leader to set it on foot.
      • Lewis and Clarke, has entirely fulfilled my expectations in setting it on foot, and that the world will find that those travellers have well earned its favor.
      • His patriotic feeling led Mr Dudgeon to throw himself with enthusiasm into the Volunteer movement when it was set on foot in 1859.
      • The revolutions carry their own points, some-times to the ruin of those who set them on foot.
      • It was easy to see what must be the fate of this fine system in any serious and comprehensive attempt to set it on foot in this country.

  • sweep someone off their feet

    • Quickly and overpoweringly charm someone.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • The whole chivalry thing was probably some ploy to catch unsuspecting girls off guard only to sweep them off their feet and then discard them later.
      • He sweeps them off their feet, uses them for his own selfish purposes, and then dumps them when he gets tired of them.
      • All women really want is a man to sweep them off their feet.
      • Women in satin dresses display a plucky determination as well as lush beauty, as men sweep them off their feet.
      • That explains this lovely lass following you, but then again, I don't think you need to pull them out of the icy sea to sweep them off their feet.
      • Both girls giggled and returned to their work with dreams of weddings, white dresses, and handsome men sweeping them off their feet occupying their thoughts.
      • Both of the women said Swaby had been charming and swept them off their feet at first, buying them lots of gifts.
      • Dior's extravagant creations swept them off their feet, and transported them to a sublimely flattering existence.
      Synonyms
      overcome, move, stir, affect, touch, impress, sweep someone off their feet, strike, stun, make emotional, dumbfound, shake, disturb, devastate, take aback, daze, spellbind, dazzle, floor, leave speechless, take someone's breath away, stagger

  • think on one's feet

    • React to events decisively, effectively, and without prior thought.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • How the candidates think on their feet and react to the audience can be a telling sign as to how they will act once they are in office.
      • It's going to be a case of common sense and thinking on your feet.
      • No matter what the TV says, taking an umbrella to work is thinking on your feet.
      • He is insightful, he has his act together, he understands what makes national security tick - and he thinks on his feet somewhere around Mach 3.
      • He has all the physical gifts, but he also thinks on his feet.
      • I am sort of thinking on my feet here as I react to the information from my two correspondents and from other sources.
      • I can see Dallas not knowing what to do, but the other three are veterans and talk about not thinking on your feet or reacting to circumstances.
      • She was improvising and having to think on her feet.
      • He thought on his feet, a very bright individual as far as prisoners go.
      • What marks Aparna's game is that she has a variety of strokes and she thinks on her feet.

  • to one's feet

    • To a standing position.

      he leaped to his feet
      Example sentencesExamples
      • And as I stepped into the light a whole bunch of reporters leapt to their feet.
      • Rawson stomped over to her prone position and lifted her to her feet by the front of her dress.
      • The energy sensitivity and conviction of the cast brought the audience to their feet in a standing ovation.
      • They leaped to their feet with delight when Harriet was announced as the winner.
      • And the long clarinet solo over a thundering funk break in the closing piece makes you leap to your feet.
      • In every living room in Wales men leapt from sofas to their feet.
      • When she completed the variation, we rose to our feet in a spontaneous standing ovation.
      • The audience wasted no time in leaping to their feet to applaud a seamless opening night.
      • The grand finale brought a beguiled and enthralled audience to their feet for a standing ovation.
      • And at the end of the performance, we rose to our feet and gave a standing ovation.

  • under one's feet

    • In one's way.

      when you're at home you just get under my feet
      Example sentencesExamples
      • If you really must have them out from under your feet, get dad to take them for a long walk in the park or countryside.
      • I'm determined to help out rather than get under their feet.
      • There are 16% more doctors than four years ago - but 45% more managers getting under their feet.
      • If he is not actually working, he would vastly prefer to putter outside or in a shed rather than to sit about getting under her feet.
      • ‘My wife usually loves this time of year because I'm away from under her feet,’ explained Criner.
      • Big Harry was not best pleased because they got under his feet as he was trying to do his job.
      • It's nice to spend time with a partner, but it's also a blessed relief when they get out from under your feet for a while.
      • It's nice when I have the occasional flurry and get a few more hits, in the same way that sometimes it's nice to have a house full of people but you wouldn't want them under your feet seven days a week.
      • His wife, 36-year-old nurse Lenore, joked that she is just pleased that they have a hobby that gets them out from under her feet.

  • under foot

    • On the ground.

      it is very wet under foot in places
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Dead pine needles made the ground soft under foot.
      • The leaves, having fragmented under foot are now going into a damp, clingy phase.
      • The water under foot splashed everywhere, soaking my trainers with 10 strides.
      • In every section, you can smell the air and feel the wet leaves under foot while reading this guide.
      • It hasn't rained here for seven weeks; the grass crackles and crunches under foot, and the bushes droop with lifeless despair.
      • Usual technique for getting the nuts out from their husks/cases/whatever, consists of rolling them under foot.
      • The nostalgic Irish immigrant could feel the land itself under foot and could lean down and touch his native soil.
      • Laid in patterns, they're eye-catching and durable under foot.
      • The pitch is narrow, it's certain to be boggy under foot and they are not the best of lights to play under.
      • Firm surfaces under foot would mean that numerous matches could be played consecutively on a pitch.

Derivatives

  • footless

    • adjective
    • Are they going to breed a headless footless model?
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Today I was wearing a pair of black opaque footless tights.
      • Many of them are footless as a result of outrageous levels of alcohol.
      • But now Giblets has a means of giving voice to his wordless rage, a vehicle for his footless fury!
      • The client has wheeled himself uncomfortably close to me, his footless leg dressed in a brightly colored argyle sock.

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'.

  • An Old English word that appears as far back as the epic poem Beowulf, probably written in the 700s, foot comes from an ancient root which also gives us Greek pous, the root of words as varied as antipodes, octopus, and podium (mid 18th century), and Latin pes ‘foot’ (see pawn). The measure equal to 12 inches was originally based on the length of a man's foot.

    When we use feet of clay to suggest that a respected person has a fundamental flaw, we are reaching back to a story from biblical times. In the book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, dreamed about a magnificent idol which had feet ‘part of iron and part of clay’, and which was broken into pieces. The prophet Daniel interpreted this to mean that the kingdom would eventually fall. To have one foot in the grave is to be near death. Although the idea dates back to the 17th century, it is now particularly associated with the 1990s British TV comedy One Foot in the Grave, starring Richard Wilson as the unlucky but defiant Victor Meldrew, who had been forced into early retirement. See also first

Rhymes

afoot, clubfoot, hotfoot, kaput, put, soot, splay-foot, underfoot, wrong-foot, Yakut
noun.1
phr.
 
 

Definition of foot in US English:

foot

nounfo͝otfʊt

  • 1The lower extremity of the leg below the ankle, on which a person stands or walks.

    Example sentencesExamples
    • Gout is caused by deposits of uric acid in joints of the feet or ankles, that lead to inflammatory arthritis.
    • He then stepped his right foot in front of him, digging it into the earth in front of him.
    • Loop one end of the tubing around the ball of the foot with the injured ankle.
    • A sensor in the heel measures changes in compression each time the wearer's foot hits the ground.
    • She stamped one bare foot on the ground.
    • But the dancer's feet moved to the rhythms of Kathak, drummed on the tabla.
    • Passive range of motion of the foot and ankle joints should be assessed for indications of restricted movement.
    • He put his left foot in the stirrup, and then sat there.
    • The girls' feet crunched loudly in the near silence after the rain.
    • This slows blood circulation and causes even more fluid to build up in your feet and ankles.
    • The discovery will help scientists better understand how our early ancestors began to walk on two feet.
    • Swiftly, she sat up, putting her cold bare feet on the wooden floor and standing.
    • This mainly affects the ankles, knees and feet, but may also involve the eyes and even the heart.
    • I sometimes feel like I need to dunk my cold feet in some warm water.
    • But there is a feeling that Lock has his foot off the pedal here.
    • The Antipodes were the body's extremities, its feet or its finger nails.
    • The floor lit up at intervals below Lissie's feet as she stood in the middle of the dance floor.
    • Her tired, sore feet pounded the pavement.
    • Stabilize yourself on an exercise ball with feet hip-width apart and flat on the floor.
    • He stamped his booted foot, knowing that Vin had something to do with her disappearance.
    Synonyms
    tootsie, trotter
    1. 1.1 A corresponding part of the leg in vertebrate animals.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Therefore, we also drew a small sample of lymph from an incision made into the web between two toes of a hind foot.
      • Legs and feet of males are mostly black or brown, whereas females are white or red.
      • The floor of the print tends to be drawn upwards as the animal withdrew its foot from wet and sticky sediments.
      • Beyond the cut, the beetle can feed without gumming up its feet and mouthparts.
      • As is true of all members of their order, they are diprotodont and their hind feet are syndactylous.
      • At last, their horses' feet touched the dirt of the road.
      • The animal takes off with a push from its large and muscular hind limbs and lands on its hind feet and tail.
      • Both the foot and the parapodia are innervated by nerve trunks originating most often from the pedal ganglia.
      • His left hind foot is set firmly against the hero's head.
      • Their talons are sharp and hooked and their feet are zygodactyl with a reversible fourth toe.
      • Such a move would be the economic equivalent of an animal gnawing off its foot to get out of a trap.
      • Boobies use their wings and feet frequently in displays and in aerial greetings.
      • The bird's webbed feet, angled upward, skim across the water.
      • The health of the foot throughout the animal's life is based on a good solid heel base.
      • They have an opposable hallux on their hind feet, and their pelage is soft, thick, and wooly.
      • They have long snouts, small eyes, large, clawed feet and long nearly naked tails.
      • Albatrosses are seabirds with long, narrow wings, a short tail and large webbed feet.
      • Their tails are long but not prehensile, and their feet are not syndactylous.
      • As in the case of macropodid hind feet, the fourth toe is the longest and strongest.
      • The symptoms are a milder form of the painful blisters that appear around the mouth, nose and feet in animals.
      Synonyms
      paw, forepaw, hind paw, hoof, trotter, pad
    2. 1.2Zoology A locomotory or adhesive organ of an invertebrate.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • If no improvement occurs, referral to a podiatric foot and ankle surgeon is appropriate.
      • Typical symptoms include breathlessness, swollen ankles and feet, and extreme tiredness.
      • This uncommon lesion occurs predominantly in the small bones of the hands and feet, not the ankle.
      • These two bones together link the leg to the foot at the ankle joint, although it is the tibia which carries all the weight.
      • This is especially common in larger spider veins around the feet and ankles.
    3. 1.3 The part of a sock, stocking, etc. that covers the foot.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Turn right side out and slide the shoe onto the foot of the stocking.
      • There are many different knotting styles that can be used for naalbinding, and it was used mainly to produce gloves, or the feet of socks.
      • Simply knit around and around until the foot of the sock reaches two inches.
    4. 1.4literary A person's manner or speed of walking or running.
      fleet of foot
      Example sentencesExamples
      • He had never been strong, but his Nymphian heritage had blessed him with speed, as he was light and fleet of foot.
      • They can be daring, innovating in their original approach to scams, and certainly fleet of foot.
      • Even today, Campbell is remembered more for his bruising running style than for being fleet of foot.
      • The young Ali was pure boxing brilliance, backing up his bravado with breathtaking speed of hand and foot and sublime skills.
      • It seems the one who is fleet of foot and fair of face didn't fancy staying in France for another year.
      • So they opt for an alternative offer, usually with a small firm that is more fleet of foot.
      • The hardy of soul and fleet of foot will be Yomping through Eden this summer.
      • However, he is armed with two things which are valued higher than anything else these days, speed of foot and a refusal to lose.
      • Belloc's was a grey and white stallion called Nightwind, an aptly named steed for he was as silent as he was fleet of foot.
      • Next the team's linebackers are fleet of foot and quick to the tackle.
      • It demonstrated US ability to be fleet of foot in a rapidly changing situation.
      • Sunny Bay is renowned for its quick turn of foot and it often made good late runs to surge ahead at the line.
      • In his position, Bergkamp has never really felt the necessity for speed of foot.
      • No animal is so fleet of foot or so powerful that it will not one day succumb to the jaws of the hyena.
      • Fleet of foot and chock-full of pop hooks, Franz will outpace it.
      • Applied to what is known about dinosaurs, it shows that large dinosaurs were probably not fleet of foot.
      • Not a devastating puncher, the charismatic Baby Bull, more than makes up for it with uncanny speed of foot and hand.
      • The men who they select from the whole force and station in the van are fleet of foot and fit admirably into cavalry action.
    5. 1.5British historical, formal treated as plural Infantry; foot soldiers.
      a captain of foot

  • 2A projecting part on which a piece of furniture or each of its legs stands.

    Example sentencesExamples
    • The table's feet, he added, are larger but similar to those on the museum's Cadwalader screen.
    • A small ball of clay or soil, pressed around the foot of the chair, bewildered us.
    1. 2.1 A device on a sewing machine for holding the material steady as it is sewn.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • A presser foot, for a sewing machine for use in sewing slide fasteners to garments, has a foot portion pivotally mounted on a vertically movable presser bar.
      • When threading up any sewing machine make sure the foot is 'up' as this opens the tension disks and the thread goes between.
    2. 2.2Botany The part by which a petal is attached.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The three-lobed labellum is attached to the column by a column foot, where the nectary is located.

  • 3The lower or lowest part of something; the base or bottom.

    the foot of the stairs
    Example sentencesExamples
    • He came on with Jessica St Rose aka Pepper Sauce, as her small but vibrant fan base rushed to the foot of the stage.
    • Mr Oglesby-Wellings fell on to a tree, through its branches and came to rest at the foot of the cliff face.
    • Today, this prime area of land at the foot of Table Mountain, continues to remain vacant.
    • She had been laid to rest at the foot of the small hill opposite the hospital.
    • The flower girl reached the throne and then carefully sprinkled the rest of the flower petals at the foot of the royal chair.
    • The dive base lay at the foot of a steep boulder slope, overhung by a high, arched ceiling adorned with enormous stalactites.
    • Tomorrow, the team will be dropped by helicopter into the jungle and must trek to their base at the foot of a volcano.
    • There's a list of around 300 names in a display case at the foot of the outside stairs.
    • In Satyagraha in South Africa, he speaks of the surpassing beauty of Cape Town situated at the foot of the Table Mountain.
    Synonyms
    bottom, base, toe, edge, end, lowest part, lowest point, lower limits
    1. 3.1 The end of a table that is furthest from where the host sits.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Rafael starts speaking in an obscure accent as he collapses at the foot of the conference table.
      • Linda sits at the foot of the dinner table and we give her scraps.
      • Two elegant chair arms add comfort and make this chair ideal for the head or foot of the dining table.
    2. 3.2 The end of a bed, couch, or grave where the occupant's feet normally rest.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • She kicked the covers to the foot of the bed, swapped her pillow for another, and nestled as close to the wall as she could.
      • Joel awoke the next day to find Oak Branch and Ivy Petal at the foot of his bed.
      • Quartz stopped at the foot of his grave, tears flowing down her cheeks.
      • The faint smell of bacon and eggs was in the air, and Fat Louie rested comfortably at the foot of his bed as normal.
      • I set the stone at the foot of her grave and stared at it in silence for awhile, remembering her face, voice, and actions.
      • The Australian sailor looks saddened as he puts a stuffed animal at the foot of her bed.
      • He sat at the foot of the grave, and let the tears come, for what seemed like hours.
      • Yashi bent down and smartly snapped the plug socket by the foot of the bed, cutting the power supply to the CD player.
      • At the foot of his bed was a dated map of the old territories.
      • I lift the covers at the foot of the bed and grab at her, mostly getting a handful of her skirt.
      • The boy-leader came over, took the blanket from the foot of the couch, and draped it over my shoulders.
      • Amanda drops her duffle bag at the foot of the couch and slumps down in the loveseat adjacent to it, exhausted.
      • Stray cats will not be allowed to sleep in our bed under the covers except at the foot.
      • I missed it, instead my back hit against the bed rail post at the foot of the bed.
      • It reached the foot of the futon and paused for breath.
      • The boys' mother had put James' Christmas stocking at the foot of his bed, instead of the side.
      • He would rest at the foot of the bed until I was ready to go to sleep.
      • I have got a plot reserved for myself at the foot of their graves, but I don't like the thought of them being dug up later, splitting up the family.
    3. 3.3 The lower edge of a sail.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • With the sail laying down, rake sail back until the foot of the sail is touching the tail of the board.
      • One must be careful not to cup the sail with too little tension on the foot of the sail by having the outhaul to loose.

  • 4A unit of linear measure equal to 12 inches (30.48 cm)

    shallow water no more than a foot deep
    Example sentencesExamples
    • "The observation deck is over ten thousand feet above ground, " she said at one point.
    • How could one lift a twenty ton stone ten feet into the air?
    • Maximum flood rates reached 1.6 million cubic feet per second.
    • They will safely see you through Hermit Rapid at 12,000 cubic feet per second.
    • Takeshi stood a good six feet tall for a young man of 16.
    • There was a steel grate in the ceiling about three feet by three feet.
    • Some places report two feet of water in the streets.
    • He stood six feet tall and was covered in coarse black fur.
    • With grayish brown fur and a nearly naked tail, the animals rarely grow to more than half a foot long.
    • The four-story project will comprise 40 condos and 7,500 square feet of retail space.
    • Sally could have sworn that Michael jumped four feet into the air.
    • They were standing on a smallish island no more than one hundred feet in diameter.
    • The center was a large room a good five hundred feet in diameter and several stories high.
    • He lunged for her, grabbing her arm as she dangled dangerously a few hundred feet off the ground.
    • He had dodged right into a ring of fire only twenty feet in diameter.
    • Nikki said the animal was about five feet long with green eyes.
    • A separate building offers another 11, 625 square feet of retail space.
    • The monster dived at Tekken as he did a back flip ten feet into the air.
    • He then stepped back three feet and closed his eyes.
    • Off the living room is an east-facing balcony measuring five feet by six feet.
    1. 4.1Music usually as modifier 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

  • 5Prosody
    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.

    Example sentencesExamples
    • But she genuinely excels on those occasions when she employs a mixture of metrical feet.
    • The division of a line of poetry into feet is much like the division of a musical phrase into bars.
    • A trochee is a metrical foot of two syllables, the first long and the second short.
verbfo͝otfʊt
foot itinformal

  • 1Cover a distance, especially a long one, on foot.

    the rider was left to foot it ten or twelve miles back to camp
    Example sentencesExamples
    • You could either sit in your car and wait, and wait, and wait, or you could hot foot it to your destination a lot quicker.
    • The vibrant heart of Pattaya has been ripped out, and replaced mostly by hordes of disconsolate people footing it to North Pattaya.
    • Unfortunately, the bus driver decides to call a one-man strike at the Palazzo Venezia and we have to foot it from there.
    • ‘Yeah, let's go find a takeaway,’ agreed Ron, as they hot footed it outside.
    • I carried on to the client's home and then hot footed it back home to get David.
    • But we didn't have time to worry about that, so we got changed in the hotel's swimming pool changing rooms (!) and hot footed it to the wedding.
    Synonyms
    go by foot, go on foot, travel on foot, foot it, be a pedestrian
    1. 1.1archaic Dance.
      the dance of fairies, footing it to the cricket's song
      Synonyms
      trip, sway, spin, whirl, twirl, pirouette, gyrate

Phrases

  • at someone's feet

    • As someone's disciple or subject.

      you would like to sit at my feet and thus acquire my wisdom
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Then, as the rig drifts toward the lake, everyone gathers around and sits at Litton 's feet.
      • I moved to go sit at Haru 's feet, as any other companion was supposed to do.
      • We never sit at their feet and learn from their experiences.
      • Ashka dashed past the two of them and sat on the stairs at Teenan 's feet.
      • Their gift was to leave indelible memories of the beauty of English poetry on all who sat at their feet.
      • Younger children intermittently sit at their feet and race around with their friends.
      • Do your students sit at your feet and follow your every word, is that an ideal relationship?
      • Alison looked at Julie, sitting at Mistress Farnham 's feet and learning to knit.
      • I tell the youth that they must respect the elders and try to learn from them by sitting at their feet.
      • You will sit right at their feet and be enraptured by every idea.

  • be rushed (or run) off one's feet

    • Be very busy.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • With 156 bedrooms to keep spic and span, she is rushed off her feet.
      • He said yesterday: ‘The hotel and restaurant have been open for several months now, and we have been rushed off our feet.’
      • A spokesman said: ‘We had expected to do brisk business, but we were rushed off our feet.’
      • Day soon turned into night, the shop got busier, and I was rushed off my feet, but my mind not really in this world.
      • There are only a few people who can do it and the woman for this area is run off her feet.
      • I'm confident they'll clock up a lot of mileage because we're used to being rushed off our feet round here.
      • She was red in the face, partly from embarrassment and partly from being rushed off her feet - the inn was unusually busy.
      • ‘We've been rushed off our feet for hours,’ explained the former Rangers star with a twinkle.
      • Posties have been weighed down delivering the Christmas post and bar staff have been rushed off their feet.
      • But despite being rushed off their feet, staff remained courteous.

  • the shoe is on the other foot

    • The situation, in particular the holding of advantage, has reversed.

  • feet of clay

    • A fundamental flaw or weakness in a person otherwise revered.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • It was Solidarity's strength that showed - to those willing to see - that the Soviet colossus had feet of clay.
      • Our generation at least had had political heros who motivated us even though they were finally shown to have feet of clay.
      • Good or evil, it was an empire with feet of clay that shattered noisily with the Berlin Wall in 1989.
      • Then I met him and I thought he was very much a man with feet of clay, which is very sad.
      • For, most of us like our heroes with feet of clay.
      • That much is true but ultimately I think we read Durcan not because he is ‘a God’ but because, like the rest of us, he has feet of clay.
      • When you know people's feet of clay before they become idols it is difficult to reimagine them.
      • Political leaders have feet of clay and wallets wide.
      • But I think - I saw it described once as realising your parents have feet of clay and then as you get older realising that you do as well.
      • Samson was the Book of Judge's star performer and he had considerable feet of clay in keeping with this historical low point.

  • foot the bill

    • Pay the bill for something, typically when the amount is considered large or unreasonable.

      the couple were left to foot the bill after their claim was declined by their travel insurers
      Synonyms
      pay, pay up, pay out, pay the bill, settle up

  • get one's feet wet

    • Begin to participate in an activity.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • It's a great thing for getting your feet wet and figuring out whether blogging is something to which you want to devote some time.
      • And even holy people, who can sometimes seem a bit precious about getting their feet wet, can't keep out the commercial tide.
      • Both women admit, however, that getting their feet wet in the business world was a bit of a scary venture at first.
      • So I got my feet wet there and through high school, so I was very fascinated with acting as a means of expression.
      • Beginning snorkelers may opt to get their feet wet in Grotto Beach's tranquil waters (take a complimentary lesson first).

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

    • Make a good (or bad) start at something, especially a task or relationship.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • Many of our housing developments started off on the right foot, with open spaces and strictly adhered to building codes.
      • We started off on the wrong foot, and now she has a lot of attitude and is rude and mean.
      • I said I just wanted the Mahler version, so we got off on the wrong foot.
      • Preparations this year quickly got off on the wrong foot.
      • I got off on the wrong foot in that first scene that has snakes in the bed.
      • Maybe we started off on the wrong foot because she came to me at 3: 00 am as a last minute transfer out of the ICU.
      • The Scots started off on the wrong foot in doubles play, losing two out of three matches, therefore dropping the doubles point.
      • When we met them last week, they told us they had started off on the wrong foot and to go home and think about what our homes were worth.
      • And I don't know, it just all got off on the wrong foot.
      • ‘There is no getting away from our responsibilities,’ he begins, starting off on the right foot.

  • have something at one's feet

    • Have something in one's power or command.

      a perfect couple with the world at their feet
      Example sentencesExamples
      • ‘And if you can fake that,’ he would say, ‘you'll have the world at your feet.’
      • Oil under their feet changed their lifestyle in earnest from herding goats out in the desert to having the world at their feet.
      • An active and vociferous campaigner against drugs too, Paula literally has the athletics world at her feet in adoration.
      • And despite her share of legendary blunders, she still manages to have the world at her feet.
      • Whatever happens this weekend Khan has already proved he has the world at his feet.
      • With Faustus' great mind, proclaims Valdes, they will be able to harness the powers of black magic and have the world at their feet.
      • Not only are they gifted players, they are also great personalities who have the football world at their feet.
      • Today, they have the world at their feet after being plucked from the streets of Greater Manchester to become international models.
      • These three girls have the world at their feet when it comes to Irish dancing.
      • We can provide him with massive exposure and if he stays until the next Olympics he will have the world at his 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
      Example sentencesExamples
      • My family, especially, is very supportive and has kept my feet on the ground.
      • Job offers came in but rather than running off to the US or London, Dorren kept his feet on the ground.
      • He's held his own and kept his feet on the ground since coming in and is growing in stature with each game.
      • I have my feet on the ground but remain confident I can go through.
      • They were always genuine and kept their feet on the ground even after hitting the big time.
      • I see myself as a normal person, and that's what keeps your feet on the ground.
      • If he keeps his feet on the ground and maintains his progress, he'll be fine.
      • But he remains confident that ‘a good poem allows you to have your feet on the ground and your head in the air simultaneously’.
      • ‘Jason is a great guy who has always kept his feet on the ground,’ said Campbell.
      • It keeps his feet on the ground, and it's nice to see him taking part in the fun where it all starts for players.

  • 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
      Example sentencesExamples
      • So I see this as very much a yin-and-yang relationship, and most of us happily have a foot in both camps.
      • And in between stands the multinational corporation which has a foot in both camps if you like.
      • What is particularly gratifying in Osborne's work, is that he shows us how court families maintained a foot in each camp.
      • As one of those Reading Champions, I now have a foot in both camps.
      • It is Lasley who seems to have a foot in both camps, to straddle two ages: he is a young man with an older head screwed on top.
      • ‘In some senses, I've had a foot in both camps,’ he said.
      • But where do you put those of us who have a foot in both camps?
      • So I kept my Boroughmuir hat on to an extent, and in many ways have a foot in both camps.
      • He is also a farm inspector for both traditional and organic farms, and he said it was unusual to have a foot in both camps.
      • T.J. has now had a foot in both camps so he can speak on this subject with some authority.

  • have (or get) a foot in the door

    • Gain or have a first introduction to a profession or organization.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • A spokesperson for the Athy ICA said: It is a positive step, we are happy to have a foot in the door.
      • The BNP failed to get a foot in the door at the town hall again.
      • He doesn't want to spend his whole career bashing the establishment if they're inviting him to get a foot in the door.
      • So maybe, if you want to get a foot in the door, this is the way to go.
      • Three times they've had a foot in the door to Super League - and three times it's been slammed in their faces.
      • If someone gets a foot in the door, performance (no other criteria) in getting good returns is almost always given for promotion.
      • The goal, as Morris puts it, is ‘to encourage students to get a foot in the door of the industry.’
      • Little wonder that first home buyers cannot get a foot in the door.
      • Inexperienced candidates looking to get a foot in the door may have to work free.
      • Basically when I came here we were trying to get a foot in the door domestically.

  • have one foot in the grave

    • humorous, informal Be near death through old age or illness.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • Yes, Ozzy still has one foot in the grave, but the songs are still great performed by the original band.
      • In my industry that is like having one foot in the grave.
      • And without the game he loves, he looks to have one foot in the grave.
      • I simply don't want people to think that I have one foot in the grave.
      • Given this precarious situation we may already have one foot in the grave.
      • This, they said, would be the last Scottish Cup tie ever to unfold in the stadium that already has one foot in the grave.
      • Well, the last Oireachtas final has definitely been played; the inter-provincial competition has one foot in the grave.
      • He may not have one foot in the grave, but someone else has a full body in it.
      • You don't have to have one foot in the grave to remember the bookies' runners surreptitiously collecting betting slips in pubs.
      • But I already had one foot in the grave - so to speak - so I shrugged.
      Synonyms
      deteriorate, decline, fade, fail, weaken, grow weak, flag, languish, degenerate, decay, waste away

  • hold someone's feet to the fire

    • Put pressure on a person or organization in order to obtain a desired result.

      he vowed to hold the government's feet to the fire on this issue

  • my foot!

    • informal Said to express strong contradiction.

      Efficient, my foot!
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The note cautioned against any weakness of agreeing to any increase in the strength of Allied (allied, 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
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Saturday morning was hideous - the raw wind nearly took you off your feet and the cold rain cut right through my thin jacket.
      • Or sit down, take the weight off your feet - look into the middle distance and dream a bit.
      • Champagne, a manicure and half an hour to take the weight off your feet - what more could a girl want?
      • Take for example, the morning rush for trains - beware of the liquid crowds of commuters that will whisk you away and off your feet.
      • You will need to eat, you will need to take the weight off your feet and yet, at so many of the provincial tracks, eating and sitting are poorly resourced.
      • It's no use waiting for a knight in shining armour to ride in and sweep you off your feet.
      • She was scheduled to get some foot surgery and had to be off her feet for eight weeks, starting four days from then.
      • Doing so will take a load off your feet, and prevent your brain from becoming clogged, cluttered or crashing like your hapless personal computer.
      • At times, the pain and the pressure are enough to knock you off your feet.
      • If you really dig your heels into the sand, you won't get knocked off your feet when your stellar reputation is in question.

  • on one's feet

    • 1Standing.

      she's in the shop on her feet all day
      Example sentencesExamples
      • So you spend a lot of time on your feet, walking around?
      • Marie was now standing on her feet, staring at the approaching aircraft.
      • You get up on your feet and walk to the table to eat.
      • I also believe bringing back standing sections would solve the problem of people getting on their feet in all-seater areas.
      • To be fair, I don't think he was looking for a penalty - he just wasn't coordinated enough to stay on his feet.
      • Nearby there is a standing desk, which allows him to stay on his feet as he works.
      • Instead, he swaggered awkwardly on his feet and walked about as if in a drunken state.
      • In fact, they themselves walked unsteadily on their feet probably as a result of beer effect.
      • You spend all day on your feet shopping with a friend.
      • I am not having him standing and shouting while I am on my feet.
      • As soon as I got the chance I was on my feet and walking again.
      • The lunch break that Ser'na allowed was short, so they were soon back on their feet and walking again.
      • The thought of uniting was inevitable and my only chance of standing on my feet until I managed.
      1. 1.1Well enough after an illness or injury to walk around.
        we'll have you back on your feet in no time
        Example sentencesExamples
        • This lady who the doctors said could never be on her feet again was actually walking!
        • The doctors want her up on her feet in a few hours and walking around by tonight.
        • Before the end of that week, I was able to stand on my feet and walk again!
        • I didn't think that you would be well enough to be on your feet.
        • Brendan is recovering from a recent arm injury and hopefully he will be back on his feet soon.
        • But hopefully Bosley will be back on his feet and walking again in two months.
        • It is nice to be back on my feet again and walking around at last.
        • On Tuesday, Maradona was on his feet for the first time, walking around his hospital room.
        • We've been held up for some time thanks to an injury to Josemi, but he seems to be on his feet again now.

  • on (or by) foot

    • Walking rather than traveling by car or using other transport.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • In the past, hockey fans could walk on foot for miles to watch their favourite stars.
      • The first time he came was in 1945 when the main means of transport was by foot or rickshaw.
      • In the end, we set off on foot and walk for an hour before we manage to flag a taxi down at a crossroads.
      • The name of this area is Martin Place, so make sure you stick to it for hassle-free, speedy travel by foot!
      • He walked on foot into the forest as he had done many times, looking for any signs of movement in the bushes ahead.
      • The marchers will travel, by foot and bus, through Baltimore and New Jersey before arriving in New York for a rally.
      • The next town was a two days walk by foot but only half a day at most by horse and wagon.
      • Motorists were forced to abandon their vehicles in the road and walk the remaining distance on foot.
      • Travelling by foot is completely free of charge and even in Skandia Cowes Week there were no weary queues.
      • Travelling on foot forces you to engage with bits of the country you don't see from a vehicle.

  • on the back foot

    • Outmaneuvered by a competitor or opponent; at a disadvantage.

      Messi's early goal put Milan on the back foot
      the government found itself on the back foot as peaceful demonstrations continued
      Example sentencesExamples
      • By the early summer of 1918, the German submarines were clearly on the back foot.
      • In early trading today the dollar was on the back foot in Asia after suffering its biggest one day decline in three years against the Japanese yen.
      • The polls may not show much change but the government gives all the appearances of being on the back foot.
      • The bank, unable to defend its position, has been on the back foot since news of the bid was leaked last Sunday.
      • Surprisingly Spurs didn't spend the rest of the night on the back foot.
      • In reply, Australia were immediately on the back foot with the loss of David Warner for one.
      • Crime is falling, gangland criminals are on the back foot and more gardai are on the beat than ever before.
      • His opponent, Leonardo Mayer, opted for an attacking game that put Murray on the back foot.
      • The exodus of people from the coastal areas of the city following media reports of a fresh tsunami on Monday night caught the administration on the back foot.
      • The Irish government appeared to be put on the back foot.

  • on the front foot

    • Outmaneuvering a competitor or opponent; at an advantage.

      City were on the front foot from the word go
      the Prime Minister's bellicose performance was motivated by a desire to get back on the front foot
      Example sentencesExamples
      • If you work in controversial areas, there is much to be gained by being on the front foot with the media.
      • The fashion show was a chance for him to put his new company back on the front foot.
      • Soon enough Hearts were again on the front foot, their ability to spread the play leaving Aberdeen's players chasing shadows.
      • The Border Security Bill will put New Zealand's security on the front foot.
      • That completely turned the game around, and he was on the front foot once again.
      • Liverpool started the game on the front foot.
      • These measures have the potential to slow down our trade and add costs to traders, unless we go on the front foot.
      • We now have to get on the front foot and market the city aggressively.
      • We started well and were on the front foot early on.
      • As any first-year PR student would tell you, it pays to get on the front foot early.

  • put one's best foot forward

    • Embark on an undertaking with as much effort and determination as possible.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • Right or left, he is intent on putting his best foot forward and leaving nightmare stories behind.
      • More than 13,000 Wiltshire pupils have been putting their best foot forward to mark International Walk to School Week.
      • He will be putting his best foot forward and walking the 30 miles from Bolton on Good Friday.
      • ‘Politics is about putting your best foot forward and putting the other person in the worst light,’ Mr. Goldstein said.
      • Darwen children will be putting their best foot forward to raise money for Barnardo's children's charity.
      • It's all about the business and putting your best foot forward.
      • I mean, sure, you get disappointed because you go out there putting your best foot forward.
      • In addition, there have been various groups/troupes putting their best foot forward.
      • An actuary from Brentford will be putting her best foot forward in this year's London marathon, to help charity Whizzkids.
      • Scouts have been putting their best foot forward to map out walking routes in Greenmount and Tottington.

  • put one's feet up

    • informal Take a rest, especially when reclining with one's feet raised and supported.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • The Great Hall is a place to relax and put your feet up, not to feel that your culture is inferior to another.
      • It's cosy, and the perfect place to put your feet up and relax with a well-earned pint.
      • We trained a little and managed to put our feet up for a deserved rest and a little bit of sun.
      • Sale's try-scoring wing-wizard is staying on in Australia and will put his feet up and rest after a stamina-sapping Lions tour.
      • Why not put your feet up in your plush recliner and snuggle up in your $1,000 cashmere throw?
      • Rather than putting his feet up for a well-earned rest following his tour, Peter brought fun and laughter to the hospice.
      • We need a part of the town where people can relax, put their feet up and, in the summer especially, enjoy the good weather.
      • When it comes time to pump, find a nice, relaxing environment, put your feet up, listen to music, and try not to think about work.
      • I'm always glad to get home, put my feet up and relax.
      • There is a wide range of activities there, including a cyber cafe, as well as a place to relax and put one's feet up.
      Synonyms
      relax, take a rest, ease off, ease up, let up, slow down, pause, have a break, take a break, unbend, repose, laze, idle, loaf, do nothing, take time off, slack off, unwind, recharge one's batteries, be at leisure, take it easy, sit back, sit down, stand down, lounge, luxuriate, loll, slump, flop, put one's feet up, lie down, go to bed, have a nap, take a nap, nap, catnap, doze, have a siesta, take a siesta, drowse, sleep

  • put one's foot down

    • informal Adopt a firm policy when faced with opposition or disobedience.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • Then I thought it's because she's really nice, but then she puts her foot down.
      • And Mesereau puts his foot down and says you've got to step out of the way.
      • If girls themselves put their foot down, maybe some change would come.
      • ‘The key to faking it,’ Johanna, 12, says, is putting your foot down: ‘Refuse to be lured into nervousness!’
      • I have thought of putting my foot down but I have a sneaking suspicion some of the unruly behaviour is vaguely familiar.
      • And it gets to the point where you have to put your foot down and just say I'm sorry, but this interview is over.
      • Many employers are putting their foot down when it comes to hiring veiled women.
      • And the parents had put their foot down and denied permission.
      • He will probably continue to do so until management puts their foot down.
      • Naturally Lou doesn't want to spend the extra cash on staff, but this time Harold is being the top and putting his foot down about it.

  • 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.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • It's a pity he didn't do his homework before putting his foot in his mouth with his announcement.
      • And even while he's praising things, the author seems to be putting his foot in his mouth.
      • One of his many problems is that he constantly puts his foot in it!
      • Although I did, for the most part, manage to avoid putting my foot in my mouth over the weekend I am guilty of committing one little faux pas.
      • But every time you feel you might just have some sympathy for Archer he puts his foot in it again.
      • Speaking of sports ministers, it seems they all have a knack for putting their foot in it.
      • We had one conversation about putting your foot in it.
      • He was constantly in fear of putting his foot in his mouth, of exposing his lack of learning.
      • I know I for one love comments but am always reticent to say too much on other folks' blogs for fear of putting my foot in my mouth.
      • These terms might not exactly trip off the tongue, but they could stop you putting your foot in it.
      Synonyms
      make a mistake, be mistaken, err, be in error, misjudge, miscalculate, bungle, trip up, be wrong, get something wrong, be wide of the mark

  • set foot on (or in)

    • often with negativeEnter; go into.

      he hasn't set foot in the place since the war
      Example sentencesExamples
      • So it was with a certain sense of the unknown that I stepped into the most tucked away recording studio I've ever set foot in.
      • As we set foot into the promising future year after year, the greatest challenge facing any youngster is a career that will lead him to success.
      • So why head to the other side of the world to start afresh in a country that they have never set foot on before?
      • The man who has done little else but fight for a country he has never set foot in, is ready to lay down his life for it.
      • Burai tried to ignore that as he entered and set foot on the white soiled floor.
      • She had been charged with perjury, after claiming in court she had never set foot in there.
      • It's odd to hear this as you enter a country you have never before set foot in.
      • Shipley's is one of the most depressing places I've ever set foot in.
      • Ten years ago, Prestwick was known chiefly as the only place in Britain that Elvis Presley had ever set foot in.
      • So, when I got to Harvard I never even had a chance to set foot in the library.

  • set something on foot

    • archaic Set an action or process in motion.

      a plan had lately been set on foot for their relief
      Compare with afoot
      Example sentencesExamples
      • The purposes with which they are set on foot are profit, honour, or avoidance of loss or dishonour.
      • The revolutions carry their own points, some-times to the ruin of those who set them on foot.
      • This, however, would require organization and some leader to set it on foot.
      • Lewis and Clarke, has entirely fulfilled my expectations in setting it on foot, and that the world will find that those travellers have well earned its favor.
      • It was easy to see what must be the fate of this fine system in any serious and comprehensive attempt to set it on foot in this country.
      • We set enquiries on foot, and it turned out that there had been an overnight break-out from Barnyards' field.
      • His patriotic feeling led Mr Dudgeon to throw himself with enthusiasm into the Volunteer movement when it was set on foot in 1859.

  • sweep someone off their feet

    • Charm someone quickly and overpoweringly.

      Example sentencesExamples
      • That explains this lovely lass following you, but then again, I don't think you need to pull them out of the icy sea to sweep them off their feet.
      • Women in satin dresses display a plucky determination as well as lush beauty, as men sweep them off their feet.
      • He sweeps them off their feet, uses them for his own selfish purposes, and then dumps them when he gets tired of them.
      • Both of the women said Swaby had been charming and swept them off their feet at first, buying them lots of gifts.
      • The whole chivalry thing was probably some ploy to catch unsuspecting girls off guard only to sweep them off their feet and then discard them later.
      • Dior's extravagant creations swept them off their feet, and transported them to a sublimely flattering existence.
      • Both girls giggled and returned to their work with dreams of weddings, white dresses, and handsome men sweeping them off their feet occupying their thoughts.
      • All women really want is a man to sweep them off their feet.
      Synonyms
      overcome, move, stir, affect, touch, impress, sweep someone off their feet, strike, stun, make emotional, dumbfound, shake, disturb, devastate, take aback, daze, spellbind, dazzle, floor, leave speechless, take someone's breath away, stagger

  • think on one's feet

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

      Example sentencesExamples
      • He is insightful, he has his act together, he understands what makes national security tick - and he thinks on his feet somewhere around Mach 3.
      • I can see Dallas not knowing what to do, but the other three are veterans and talk about not thinking on your feet or reacting to circumstances.
      • What marks Aparna's game is that she has a variety of strokes and she thinks on her feet.
      • He thought on his feet, a very bright individual as far as prisoners go.
      • She was improvising and having to think on her feet.
      • He has all the physical gifts, but he also thinks on his feet.
      • I am sort of thinking on my feet here as I react to the information from my two correspondents and from other sources.
      • How the candidates think on their feet and react to the audience can be a telling sign as to how they will act once they are in office.
      • No matter what the TV says, taking an umbrella to work is thinking on your feet.
      • It's going to be a case of common sense and thinking on your feet.

  • to one's feet

    • To a standing position.

      he leaped to his feet
      Example sentencesExamples
      • In every living room in Wales men leapt from sofas to their feet.
      • And the long clarinet solo over a thundering funk break in the closing piece makes you leap to your feet.
      • They leaped to their feet with delight when Harriet was announced as the winner.
      • Rawson stomped over to her prone position and lifted her to her feet by the front of her dress.
      • The grand finale brought a beguiled and enthralled audience to their feet for a standing ovation.
      • The audience wasted no time in leaping to their feet to applaud a seamless opening night.
      • And at the end of the performance, we rose to our feet and gave a standing ovation.
      • And as I stepped into the light a whole bunch of reporters leapt to their feet.
      • The energy sensitivity and conviction of the cast brought the audience to their feet in a standing ovation.
      • When she completed the variation, we rose to our feet in a spontaneous standing ovation.

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’.

noun.1
phr.
 
 
随便看

　

英语词典包含464360条英英释义在线翻译词条，基本涵盖了全部常用单词的英英翻译及用法，是英语学习的有利工具。

　

Copyright © 2004-2022 Newdu.com All Rights Reserved
更新时间：2025/1/27 14:18:09