foot

foot1 [ fut ] (plural feet [ fit ] ) noun ***

▸ 1 body part

▸ 2 unit of length

▸ 3 bottom of something

▸ 4 end of something

▸ 5 in poetry

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) count the part of your body at the end of your leg, on which you stand:

Mary slid her feet into her sandals.

wipe your feet: He wiped his feet on the mat.

stamp your feet: They stamped their feet to keep warm.

shuffle your feet: He looked at the teacher and shuffled his feet nervously.

beneath/under your feet: The deck was slippery beneath her feet.

a ) count the part of a piece of clothing that covers your foot:

one-piece pajamas with feet

b ) only before noun operated using your foot or feet:

a foot brake/pump

=> LEFT1, SHOOT1, STAND1, THINK1

2. ) (plural feet or foot) count a unit used for measuring length, containing 12 INCHES and equal to about 30 CENTIMETERS:

The house is 275 feet above sea level.

The dining room measures 30 foot by 10.

We had over two feet of snow last night.

...feet long/high/wide/tall: The boat is 25 feet long.

3. ) singular foot of the bottom of a slope, hill, set of stairs, etc.:

She paused at the foot of the stairs.

foot of a mountain/hill/slope/cliff: We camped that night at the foot of the mountain.

a ) the bottom of a page or a COLUMN of words or numbers:

There was an error message at the foot of the page.

4. ) singular foot of the end of a bed where you put your feet:

Henry stood at the foot of the bed.

a ) the end of a table opposite to the end where the most important person sits:

A young officer at the foot of the table objected to the plan.

5. ) count LINGUISTICS a section of a line of poetry that consists of one SYLLABLE (=part of a word) that you emphasize when speaking and one or more syllables that you do not emphasize

back on your feet

well or successful again after being sick or having problems:

Jim's hoping he'll be back on his feet by next week.

The new measures are intended to get the business back on its feet.

be unsteady on your feet

to be unable to stand or walk easily:

She was still a little unsteady on her feet.

feet first HUMOROUS

if someone leaves a place feet first, they are carried out of it after they are dead:

The only way I'm leaving this house is feet first.

find your feet

to become confident and feel that you know what to do in a new situation:

It's bound to take a while to find your feet.

get your feet wet INFORMAL

to start doing something for the first time

get/leap/rise/stagger etc. to your feet

to stand up in a particular way after you have been sitting or lying:

Steve pushed the blankets aside and rose to his feet.

get off/start off on the right/wrong foot

to immediately establish a good/bad relationship with someone when you first meet them or first start working with them:

I got off on the wrong foot with Patrick.

have/get cold feet

to suddenly feel nervous about doing something that you have planned or agreed to do

have feet of clay MAINLY LITERARY

if someone you admire or respect has feet of clay, they are not perfect because they have serious faults

have/keep your feet on the ground

to keep a sensible and practical attitude to life:

Despite her sudden wealth and fame, she manages to keep her feet firmly on the ground.

have a foot in both camps

to be friendly with and accepted by two groups of people who oppose each other

have one foot in the grave HUMOROUS

to be very old or sick and likely to die soon

land/fall on your feet

to be lucky and get into a good situation after being in a difficult one:

Simon always manages to land on his feet.

my foot OLD-FASHIONED

used for saying that you do not believe or agree with something that someone has said:

She's an outstanding actress. Outstanding my foot!

on your feet

standing:

I'm exhausted I've been on my feet all afternoon.

on foot

walking:

The bus didn't come, so we started out on foot.

put your best foot forward

to start trying hard to behave or work as well as you can

put your feet up

to sit down and relax, especially with your feet raised off the ground

put your foot down

1. ) to refuse very firmly to do or accept something:

Things can't carry on like this; you'll have to put your foot down.

2. ) BRITISH to drive much faster

put your foot in your mouth AMERICAN

to accidentally say something that is embarrassing or that upsets or annoys someone. British put your foot in it

rushed/run off your feet

very busy:

We'll be rushed off our feet around lunchtime.

set foot

to go to a place, especially when there is something special or unusual about you doing this:

set foot in: It was the first time she had set foot in the desert.

set foot on: He had never before set foot on French soil.

six feet under INFORMAL

dead and buried in the ground

under someone's feet

in someone's way and annoying them by stopping them from doing what they need to do:

The children have been under my feet all day long.

=> DOOR

foot

foot 2 [ fut ] verb

foot the bill (for something) INFORMAL

to pay for something that is expensive or that someone else should be paying for