Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Foot

Foot

(foŏt)
,
Noun.
;
pl.
Feet
(fēt)
.
[OE.
fot
,
foot
, pl.
fet
,
feet
. AS.
fōt
, pl.
fēt
; akin to D.
voet
, OHG.
fuoz
, G.
fuss
, Icel.
fōtr
, Sw.
fot
, Dan.
fod
, Goth.
fōtus
, L.
pes
, Gr.
πούς
, Skr.
pād
, Icel.
fet
step, pace measure of a foot,
feta
to step, find one’s way. √77, 250. Cf.
Antipodes
,
Cap-a-pie
,
Expedient
,
Fet
to fetch,
Fetlock
,
Fetter
,
Pawn
a piece in chess,
Pedal
.]
1.
(Anat.)
The terminal part of the leg of man or an animal; esp., the part below the ankle or wrist; that part of an animal upon which it rests when standing, or moves. See
Manus
, and
Pes
.
2.
(Zool.)
The muscular locomotive organ of a mollusk. It is a median organ arising from the ventral region of body, often in the form of a flat disk, as in snails. See Illust. of
Buccinum
.
3.
That which corresponds to the foot of a man or animal;
as, the
foot
of a table; the
foot
of a stocking.
4.
The lowest part or base; the ground part; the bottom, as of a mountain, column, or page; also, the last of a row or series; the end or extremity, esp. if associated with inferiority;
as, the
foot
of a hill; the
foot
of the procession; the
foot
of a class; the
foot
of the bed; ; the
foot
of the page.
And now at
foot

Of heaven's ascent they lift their feet.
Milton.
5.
Fundamental principle; basis; plan; – used only in the singular.
Answer directly upon the
foot
of dry reason.
Berkeley.
6.
Recognized condition; rank; footing; – used only in the singular.
[R.]
As to his being on the
foot
of a servant.
Walpole.
7.
A measure of length equivalent to twelve inches; one third of a yard. See
Yard
.
☞ This measure is supposed to be taken from the length of a man's foot. It differs in length in different countries. In the United States and in England it is 304.8 millimeters.
8.
(Mil.)
Soldiers who march and fight on foot; the infantry, usually designated as the foot, in distinction from the cavalry.
“Both horse and foot.”
Milton.
9.
(Pros.)
A combination of syllables consisting a metrical element of a verse, the syllables being formerly distinguished by their quantity or length, but in modern poetry by the accent.
10.
(Naut.)
The lower edge of a sail.
Foot is often used adjectively, signifying of or pertaining to a foot or the feet, or to the base or lower part. It is also much used as the first of compounds.
Foot artillery
.
(Mil.)
(a)
Artillery soldiers serving in foot.
(b)
Heavy artillery.
Farrow.
Foot bank
(Fort.)
,
a raised way within a parapet.
Foot barracks
(Mil.)
,
barracks for infantery.
Foot bellows
,
a bellows worked by a treadle.
Knight.
Foot company
(Mil.)
,
a company of infantry.
Milton.
Foot gear
,
covering for the feet, as stocking, shoes, or boots.
Foot hammer
(Mach.)
,
a small tilt hammer moved by a treadle.
Foot iron
.
(a)
The step of a carriage.
(b)
A fetter.
Foot jaw
.
(Zool.)
Foot key
(Mus.)
,
an organ pedal.
Foot level
(Gunnery)
,
a form of level used in giving any proposed angle of elevation to a piece of ordnance.
Farrow.
Foot mantle
,
a long garment to protect the dress in riding; a riding skirt.
[Obs.]
Foot page
,
an errand boy; an attendant.
[Obs.]
Foot passenger
,
one who passes on foot, as over a road or bridge.
Foot pavement
,
a paved way for foot passengers; a footway; a trottoir.
Foot poet
,
an inferior poet; a poetaster.
[R.]
Dryden.
Foot post
.
(a)
A letter carrier who travels on foot.
(b)
A mail delivery by means of such carriers.
Fot pound
, and
Foot poundal
.
(Mech.)
See
Foot pound
and
Foot poundal
, in the Vocabulary.
Foot press
(Mach.)
,
a cutting, embossing, or printing press, moved by a treadle.
Foot race
,
a race run by persons on foot.
Cowper.
Foot rail
,
a railroad rail, with a wide flat flange on the lower side.
Foot rot
,
an ulcer in the feet of sheep; claw sickness.
Foot rule
,
a rule or measure twelve inches long.
Foot screw
,
an adjusting screw which forms a foot, and serves to give a machine or table a level standing on an uneven place.
Foot secretion
.
(Zool.)
Foot soldier
,
a soldier who serves on foot.
Foot stick
(Printing)
,
a beveled piece of furniture placed against the foot of the page, to hold the type in place.
Foot stove
,
a small box, with an iron pan, to hold hot coals for warming the feet.
Foot tubercle
.
(Zool.)
Foot valve
(Steam Engine)
,
the valve that opens to the air pump from the condenser.
Foot vise
,
a kind of vise the jaws of which are operated by a treadle.
Foot waling
(Naut.)
,
the inside planks or lining of a vessel over the floor timbers.
Totten.
Foot wall
(Mining)
,
the under wall of an inclosed vein.
By foot
, or
On foot
,
by walking; as, to pass a stream on foot.
Cubic foot
.
See under
Cubic
.
Foot and mouth disease
,
a contagious disease (Eczema epizoötica) of cattle, sheep, swine, etc., characterized by the formation of vesicles and ulcers in the mouth and about the hoofs.
Foot of the fine
(Law)
,
the concluding portion of an acknowledgment in court by which, formerly, the title of land was conveyed. See
Fine of land
, under
Fine
,
Noun.
; also
Chirograph
. (b).
Square foot
.
See under
Square
.
To be on foot
,
to be in motion, action, or process of execution.
To keep the foot
(Script.)
,
to preserve decorum.
Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God.”
Eccl. v. 1.
To put one's foot down
,
to take a resolute stand; to be determined.
[Colloq.]
To put the best foot foremost
,
to make a good appearance; to do one's best.
[Colloq.]
To set on foot
,
to put in motion; to originate; as, to set on foot a subscription.
To
put one on his feet
, or
set one on his feet
,
to put one in a position to go on; to assist to start.
Under foot
.
(a)
Under the feet; (
Fig.
) at one's mercy;
as, to trample
under foot
.
Gibbon.
(b)
Below par.
[Obs.]
“They would be forced to sell . . . far under foot.”
Bacon.

Foot

(foŏt)
,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Footed
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Footing
.]
1.
To tread to measure or music; to dance; to trip; to skip.
Dryden.
2.
To walk; – opposed to ride or fly.
Shak.

Foot

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To kick with the foot; to spurn.
Shak.
2.
To set on foot; to establish; to land.
[Obs.]
What confederacy have you with the traitors
Late
footed
in the kingdom?
Shakespeare
3.
To tread;
as, to
foot
the green
.
Tickell.
4.
To sum up, as the numbers in a column; – sometimes with up;
as, to
foot
(or
foot
up) an account
.
5.
To seize or strike with the talon.
[Poet.]
Shak.
6.
To renew the foot of, as of a stocking.
Shak.
To foot a bill
,
to pay it.
[Colloq.]
To foot it
,
to walk; also, to dance.
If you are for a merry jaunt, I'll try, for once, who can
foot it
farthest.
Dryden.

Webster 1828 Edition


Foot

FOOT

,
Noun.
plu.
feet. [L. pes, pedis. Probably this word is allied to the Gr. to walk, to tread. Eng. verb, to tread.]
1.
In animal bodies, the lower extremity of the leg; the part of the leg which treads the earth in standing or walking, and by which the animal is sustained and enabled to step.
2.
That which bears some resemblance to an animal's foot in shape or office; the lower end of any thing that supports a body; as the foot of a table.
3.
The lower part; the base; as the foot of a column or of a mountain.
4.
The lower part; the bottom; as the foot of an account; the foot of a sail.
5.
Foundation; condition; state. We are not on the same foot with our fellow citizens. In this sense, it is more common, in America, to use footing; and in this sense the plural is not used.
6.
Plan of establishment; fundamental principles. Our constitution may hereafter be placed on a better foot.
[In this sense the plural is not used.]
7.
In military language, soldiers who march and fight on foot; infantry, as distinguished from cavalry.
[In this sense the plural is not used.]
8.
A measure consisting of twelve inches; supposed to be taken from the length of a man's foot. Geometricians divide the foot into 10 digits, and the digit into 10 lines.
9.
In poetry, a certain number of syllables, constituting part of a verse; as the iambus, the dactyl, and the spondee.
10.
Step; pace.
11.
Level; par. obs.
12.
The part of a stocking or boot which receives the foot.
By foot, or rather, on foot, by walking, as to go or pass on foot; or by fording, as to pass a stream on foot. See the next definition.
To set on foot, to originate; to begin; to put in motion; as, to set on foot a subscription. Hence, to be on foot, is to be in motion, action or process of execution.

FOOT

, v.i.
1.
To dance; to tread to measure or music; to skip.
2.
To walk; opposed to ride or fly. In this sense, the word is commonly followed by it.
If you are for a merry jaunt, I'll try, for once, who can foot it farthest.

FOOT

, v.t.
1.
To kick; to strike with the foot; to spurn.
2.
To settle; to begin to fix. [Little used.]
3.
To tread; as, to foot the green.
4.
To add the numbers in a column, and set the sum at the foot; as, to foot an account.
5.
To seize and hold with the foot. [Not used.]
6.
To add or make a foot; as, to foot a stocking or boot.

Definition 2024


Foot

Foot

See also: foot and Fööt

English

Alternative forms

Proper noun

Foot

  1. A surname.

German Low German

Noun

Foot m (plural Fööt or Feut)

  1. foot (anatomy)

Compounds

  • Football
  • Footballspääl
  • Footballspäler
  • Footballspälerin
  • Footballspälersch
  • Footballspälersche
  • Footballspeel
  • Footballspeler
  • Footballspelerin
  • Footballspelersch
  • Footballspelersche
  • Footballspill
  • Footbodden
  • Footgänger
  • Footgängerin
  • Footgängersch
  • Footgängersche
  • Footgängerzoon
  • Footpadd
  • Footstieg
  • Footweg

Idioms

  • enen op den Fööt pedden
  • Dat hett Hand un Foot
  • Klei di an de Fööt!
  • Klei mi an de Fööt!

See also

See also

  • Dutch Low Saxon: voot

References

  • Der neue SASS: Plattdeutsches Wörterbuch, Plattdeutsch - Hochdeutsch, Hochdeutsch - Plattdeutsch. Plattdeutsche Rechtschreibung, sixth revised edition (2011, ISBN 978-3-529-03000-0, Wachholtz Verlag, Neumünster)

Plautdietsch

Noun

Foot m (plural Feet)

  1. foot

Derived terms

  • Footijch
  • Footspoa
  • Footsoldot
  • Footstijch
  • Footwoama

foot

foot

See also: Foot and Fööt

English

A human male right foot.
Diagram including the foot of a piece of type. a face, b body or shank, c point size, 1 shoulder, 2 nick, 3 groove, 4 foot.

Noun

foot (plural feet)

  1. (countable) A biological structure found in many animals that is used for locomotion and that is frequently a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg. transl.
    A spider has eight feet.
  2. (countable, anatomy) Specifically, a human foot, which is found below the ankle and is used for standing and walking. transl.
    Southern Italy is shaped like a foot.
  3. (uncountable, often used attributively) Travel by walking.
    We went there by foot because we could not afford a taxi.
    There is a lot of foot traffic on this street.
  4. (countable) The base or bottom of anything. transl.
    I'll meet you at the foot of the stairs.
  5. (countable) The part of a flat surface on which the feet customarily rest.
    We came and stood at the foot of the bed.
  6. (countable) The end of a rectangular table opposite the head. <span title= coordinate terms">coord.
    The host should sit at the foot of the table.
  7. (countable) A short foot-like projection on the bottom of an object to support it. transl.
    The feet of the stove hold it a safe distance above the floor.
  8. (countable) A unit of measure equal to twelve inches or one third of a yard, equal to exactly 30.48 centimetres. usage <span title= coordinate terms">coord.
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 20, in The China Governess:
      No. I only opened the door a foot and put my head in. The street lamps shine into that room. I could see him. He was all right. Sleeping like a great grampus. Poor, poor chap.’
    The flag pole at the local high school is about 20 feet high.
  9. (countable, music) A unit of measure for organ pipes equal to the wavelength of two octaves above middle C, approximately 328 mm.
  10. (military, collective) Foot soldiers; infantry. <span title= coordinate terms">coord.
    King John went to battle with ten thousand foot and one thousand horse.
    • Clarendon
      His forces, after all the high discourses, amounted really but to eighteen hundred foot.
  11. (countable, cigars) The end of a cigar which is lit, and usually cut before lighting.
  12. (countable, sewing) The part of a sewing machine which presses downward on the fabric, and may also serve to move it forward.
  13. (countable, printing) The bottommost part of a typed or printed page. <span title= coordinate terms">coord.
  14. (printing) The base of a piece of type, forming the sides of the groove.
  15. (countable, prosody) The basic measure of rhythm in a poem. transl.
  16. (countable, phonology) The parsing of syllables into prosodic constituents, which are used to determine the placement of stress in languages along with the notions of constituent heads.
  17. (countable, nautical) The bottom edge of a sail. <span title= coordinate terms">coord. transl.
    To make the mainsail fuller in shape, the outhaul is eased to reduce the tension on the foot of the sail.
  18. (countable, billiards) The end of a billiard or pool table behind the foot point where the balls are racked.
  19. (countable, botany) In a bryophyte, that portion of a sporophyte which remains embedded within and attached to the parent gametophyte plant.
    • 1992, Rudolf M. Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, page 4
      (b) sporophyte with foot reduced, the entire sporophyte enveloped by the calyptra, which is ± stipitate at the base.
  20. (countable, malacology) The muscular part of a bivalve mollusc or a gastropod by which it moves or holds its position on a surface.
  21. (countable, molecular biology) The globular lower domain of a protein. <span title= coordinate terms">coord.
  22. (countable, geometry) The point of intersection of one line with another that is perpendicular to it.
  23. (uncountable) Fundamental principle; basis; plan.
    • Berkeley
      Answer directly upon the foot of dry reason.
  24. (uncountable) Recognized condition; rank; footing.
    • Walpole
      As to his being on the foot of a servant.
Usage notes
  • (unit of length def.): The ordinary plural of the unit of measurement is feet, but in many contexts, foot itself may be used ("he is six foot two"). This is a reflex of the Anglo-Saxon (Old English) genitive plural.[1]
  • It is sometimes abbreviated ', such as in tables, lists or drawings.

Derived terms

Coordinate terms

Translations

See also

  • pedal, relating to the foot

Verb

foot (third-person singular simple present foots, present participle footing, simple past and past participle footed)

  1. (transitive) To use the foot to kick (usually a ball).
  2. (transitive) To pay (a bill).
  3. To tread to measure or music; to dance; to trip; to skip.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Dryden to this entry?)
  4. To walk.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)
  5. To tread.
    to foot the green
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Tickell to this entry?)
  6. (obsolete) To set on foot; to establish; to land.
    • Shakespeare
      What confederacy have you with the traitors / Late footed in the kingdom?
  7. To renew the foot of (a stocking, etc.).
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)
  8. To sum up, as the numbers in a column; sometimes with up.
    to foot (or foot up) an account

Derived terms

  • foot the bill

Translations

References

  1. Rich Alderson, “Why do we say ‘30 years old’, but ‘a 30-year-old man’?”, in Mark Israel, the alt.usage.english FAQ.

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: duty · heavy · single · #616: foot · beauty · attention · standing

French

Etymology

Apocopic form of football.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /fut/

Noun

foot m (uncountable)

  1. (colloquial) association football; football, soccer
    • Zidane est un des meilleurs joueurs de foot du monde.
      Zidane is one of the best soccer players in the world.
    • Toutes les semaines, il regarde du foot à la télé.
      Every week, he watches soccer on TV.

Derived terms

  • ballon de foot