Foot definition
- The lowest part; the bottom.The foot of a mountain; the foot of a page.
- The end opposite the head, top, or front.The foot of a bed; the foot of a parade.
- The termination of the leg of a piece of furniture, especially when shaped or modeled.
- The part of a sewing machine that holds down and guides the cloth.
- (nautical) The lower edge of a sail.
- (printing) The part of a type body that forms the sides of the groove at the base.
- (botany) The base of the sporophyte in mosses and liverworts.
To foot the bill.
An example of foot is to hike up a mountain.
An example of foot is to pay the entire dinner bill for a group of people.
An example of foot is the part of the body that goes in a shoe.
An example of foot is the bottom of a bed.
An example of foot is the length of a ruler.
Walks with a light foot.
When their car broke down, they had to foot it the rest of the way.
Footed up the bill.
Footed the expense of their children's education.
- 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.
At the foot of the table.
A spider has eight feet.
We went there by foot because we could not afford a taxi.
There is a lot of foot traffic on this street.
We came and stood at the foot of the bed.
The feet of the stove hold it a safe distance above the floor.
King John went to battle with ten thousand foot and one thousand horse.
To make the mainsail fuller in shape, the outhaul is eased to reduce the tension on the foot of the sail.
To foot (foot up) an account.
At the foot of the class.
- Enchanted or fascinated by another.
- A favorable initial impression:He always has his best foot forward when speaking to his constituents. Put your best foot forward during an employment interview.
- An underlying weakness or fault:
- An initial point of or opportunity for entry.
- A first step in working toward a goal.
- To start a new activity or job.
- To be on the verge of death, as from illness or severe trauma.
- To be sensible and practical about one's situation.
- Standing up:The crowd was on its feet for the last ten seconds.
- Fully recovered, as after an illness or convalescence:The patient is on her feet again.
- In a sound or stable operating condition:Put the business back on its feet after years of mismanagement.
- In an impromptu situation; extemporaneously:
- In an auspicious manner:The project started off on the right foot but soon ran into difficulties.
- In an inauspicious manner:The project started off on the wrong foot.
- an opportunity, as to gain access to something or begin an undertaking
- to dance, walk, or run
- in walking or runningSwift of foot.
- walking or running
- going on; in process
- in an inept or unfavorable way at the very beginning
- to do the best that one can
- to try to appear at one's best
- to be firm; act decisively
- to make an embarrassing or troublesome blunder
- to make an embarrassing or tactless statement
- on the surface of the ground; on the floor, etc.
- in the way
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs
Origin of foot
- Middle English fot from Old English fōt ped- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- From Middle English, from Old English fōt (“foot”), from Proto-Germanic *fōts (“foot”) (compare Scots fit, West Frisian foet, Dutch voet, German Fuß, Danish fod), from Proto-Indo-European *pṓds (compare Hittite pata, Latin pēs, pedis, Tocharian A pe, B paiyye, Lithuanian pāda (“sole (foot)”), Russian под (pod, “ground”), Ancient Greek πούς, ποδός (poús, podós), Albanian shputë (“palm, foot sole”), Armenian ոտն (otn), Sanskrit पद् (pád)).
From Wiktionary