- foot
- [[t]f'ʊt[/t]]
♦1) N-COUNT Your feet are the parts of your body that are at the ends of your legs, and that you stand on.
She stamped her foot again.
...a foot injury.
...his aching arms and sore feet.
Derived words:-footed COMB in ADJShe was bare-footed.
...pink-footed geese.
David called to the children from the foot of the stairs.
...the foot of Highgate Hill...
A single word at the foot of a page caught her eye.
Syn:Ant:head, top3) N-SING: usu the N of n The foot of a bed is the end nearest to the feet of the person lying in it.Friends stood at the foot of the bed, looking at her with serious faces.
Ant:4) N-COUNT: usu num N, oft num N adj A foot is a unit for measuring length, height, or depth, and is equal to 12 inches or 30.48 centimetres. When you are giving measurements, the form `foot' is often used as the plural instead of the plural form `feet'.This beautiful and curiously shaped lake lies at around fifteen thousand feet.
...a shopping and leisure complex of one million square feet...
He occupies a cell 10 foot long, 6 foot wide and 10 foot high...
I have to give my height in feet and inches.
5) ADJ: ADJ n A foot brake or foot pump is operated by your foot rather than by your hand.I tried to reach the foot brakes but I couldn't.
6) ADJ: ADJ n A foot patrol or foot soldiers walk rather than travelling in vehicles or on horseback.Paratroopers and foot-soldiers entered the building on the government's behalf.
Syn:7) N-COUNT In poetry, a foot is one of the basic units of rhythm into which a line is divided.8) → See also footing9) PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR about n If you get cold feet about something, you become nervous or frightened about it because you think it will fail.The Government is getting cold feet about the reforms.
10) PHRASE: V inflects If you say that someone is finding their feet in a new situation, you mean that they are starting to feel confident and to deal with things successfully.I don't know anyone in England but I am sure I will manage when I find my feet...
Once he had found his feet he was able to deal with any problem.
Syn:11) PHRASE: usu v PHR (approval) If you say that someone has their feet on the ground, you approve of the fact that they have a sensible and practical attitude towards life, and do not have unrealistic ideas.In that respect he needs to keep his feet on the ground and not get carried away...
Kevin was always level-headed with both feet on the ground.
12) PHRASE If you go somewhere on foot, you walk, rather than using any form of transport.We rowed ashore, then explored the island on foot for the rest of the day.
Syn:Everyone was on their feet applauding wildly.
Syn:14) PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v If you say that someone or something is on their feet again after an illness or difficult period, you mean that they have recovered and are back to normal.You need someone to take the pressure off and help you get back on your feet...
He said they all needed to work together to put the country on its feet again.
15) PHRASE: V inflects If you say that someone always falls or lands on their feet, you mean that they are always successful or lucky, although they do not seem to achieve this by their own efforts.He has good looks and charm, and always falls on his feet...
While I struggle through life, she lands on her feet.
16) PHRASE: V inflects If you say that someone has one foot in the grave, you mean that they are very old or very ill and will probably die soon. [INFORMAL]17) PHRASE: V inflects If you say, in British English, the boot is on the other foot or, mainly in American English, the shoe is on the other foot, you mean that a situation has been reversed completely, so that the person who was in the better position before is now in the worse one.You're not in a position to remove me. The boot is now on the other foot.
18) PHRASE: V inflects If you put your best foot forward, you act in a cheerful, determined way. [OLD-FASHIONED]Put your best foot forward and work on the assumption that there is an acceptable solution to every problem you are likely to face.
19) PHRASE: V inflects If someone puts their foot down, they use their authority in order to stop something happening.He had planned to go skiing on his own in March but his wife had decided to put her foot down.
20) PHRASE: V inflects If someone puts their foot down when they are driving, they drive as fast as they can.I asked the driver to put his foot down for Nagchukha.
21) PHRASE: V inflects If someone puts their foot in it or puts their foot in their mouth, they accidentally do or say something which embarrasses or offends people. [INFORMAL]Our chairman has really put his foot in it, poor man, though he doesn't know it.
22) PHRASE: V inflects If you put your feet up, you relax or have a rest, especially by sitting or lying with your feet supported off the ground.After supper he'd put his feet up and read. It was a pleasant prospect.
Syn:23) PHRASE: V inflects, with brd-neg If you never put a foot wrong, you never make any mistakes.When he's around, we never put a foot wrong...
He hardly put a foot wrong in defence and was fine in attack.
24) PHRASE: V inflects, oft with brd-neg (emphasis) If you say that someone sets foot in a place, you mean that they enter it or reach it, and you are emphasizing the significance of their action. If you say that someone never sets foot in a place, you are emphasizing that they never go there....the day the first man set foot on the moon...
A little later I left that place and never set foot in Texas again.
25) PHRASE: V inflects If someone has to stand on their own two feet, they have to be independent and manage their lives without help from other people.My father didn't mind whom I married, so long as I could stand on my own two feet and wasn't dependent on my husband.
Malone got to his feet and followed his superior out of the suite...
The delegates cheered and rose to their feet...
He sprang to his feet and ran outside.
27) PHRASE: usu PHR after v (feelings) If you say that someone is under your feet, you are annoyed because they are with you or near you, and are bothering you.The children were running about under everybody's feet.
28) PHRASE: V inflects If someone gets off on the wrong foot in a new situation, they make a bad start by doing something in completely the wrong way.Even though they called the election and had been preparing for it for some time, they got off on the wrong foot.
English dictionary. 2008.
