noun
pl. feet- the end part of the leg, on which a person or animal stands or moves
- a thing like a foot in some way; specif.,
- the part that a thing stands on; base
- the lowest part; bottom: the foot of a page
- the last of a series: go to the foot of the line
- the part of a sewing machine that presses down on the cloth as it is moved forward and stitched
- 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
- the end of a bed, grave, etc. toward which the feet are directed
- the end opposite to the end designated the head: at the foot of the table
- the part of a stocking, boot, etc. that covers the foot
- a unit of length in the FPS system, equal to 12 inches or yard (0.3048 meter): symbol, ?: abbrev. ft: pl. sometimes following a number [50 foot of lumber] and always in attributive use [a six-foot athlete]
- [with pl. v.]Brit. foot soldiers; infantry
- pl. foots the sediment in a liquid: usually used in pl.
- 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
Origin of foot
Middle English fot from OE, akin to German fuss from Indo-European an unverified form p?d-, variant, variety of base an unverified form p?d-, foot, to go from source Sanskrit pad-, Classical Greek pous, Classical Latin pes- to dance
- to go on foot: now rare exc. in phr. foot it: see below
- to move ahead, esp. with speed: said of a sailboat
- to walk, dance, or run on, over, or through; tread
- to make or repair the foot of (a stocking, etc.)
- to add (a column of figures) and set down a total: often with up
- Informal to pay (costs, expenses, etc.): to foot the bill
foot Idioms
a foot in the door
an opportunity, as to gain access to something or begin an undertaking
foot it
Informal to dance, walk, or run
of foot
in walking or running: swift of foot
on foot
- walking or running
- 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- to do the best that one can
- 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
Informal to make an embarrassing or troublesome blunder
put one's foot in one's mouth
Informal to make an embarrassing or tactless statement
under foot
- on the surface of the ground; on the floor, etc.
- in the way
