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foot definition

foot (fo̵ot)

noun pl. feet

  1. the end part of the leg, on which a person or animal stands or moves
  2. a thing like a foot in some way; specif.,
    1. the part that a thing stands on; base
    2. the lowest part; bottom the foot of a page
    3. the last of a series go to the foot of the line
    4. the part of a sewing machine that holds the cloth steady
    5. the part of the body of a mollusk that is normally muscular and ventrally located, used for attachment, burrowing, and locomotion, or, as in cephalopods, serving as the basis for the arms, tentacles, eyes, and mouth
  3. the end of a bed, grave, etc. toward which the feet are directed
  4. the end opposite to the end designated the head at the foot of the table
  5. the part of a stocking, boot, etc. that covers the foot
  6. a unit of length in the FPS system, equal to 12 inches or yard (0.3048 meter): symbol, ′: abbrev. ft: pl. sometimes foot following a number [50 foot of lumber] and always in attributive use [a six-foot athlete]
  7. Brit. foot soldiers; infantry
  8. pl. foots the sediment in a liquid: usually used in pl.
  9. a group of syllables serving as a unit of meter in verse; esp., such a unit having a specified placement of the stressed syllable or syllables

Etymology: ME fot < OE, akin to Ger fuss < IE *pōd-, var. of base *pēd-, foot, to go > Sans pad-, Gr pous, L pes

intransitive verb

    1. to dance
    2. to go on foot: now rare exc. in phr. foot it: see below
  1. to move ahead, esp. with speed: said of a sailboat

transitive verb

  1. to walk, dance, or run on, over, or through; tread
  2. to make or repair the foot of (a stocking, etc.)
  3. to add (a column of figures) and set down a total: often with up
  4. Informal to pay (costs, expenses, etc.) to foot the bill
foot Idioms

foot it

Informal to dance, walk, or run

of foot

in walking or running swift of foot

on foot

  1. walking or running
  2. going on; in process

on the wrong foot

in an inept or unfavorable way at the very beginning

put one's best foot forward

Informal
  1. to do the best that one can
  2. to try to appear at one's best

put one's foot down

Informal to be firm; act decisively

put one's foot in it

or put one's foot in in one's mouth
Informal to make an embarrassing or troublesome blunder

under foot

  1. on the surface of the ground; on the floor, etc.
  2. in the way

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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Going to the foot of the stairs33 years ago

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