foot

FUUT/fʊt/

Pluralfeet

31 meanings of foot

1
person's body partnouncountable
The part at the end of a leg that a person or animal stands and walks on.
She hurt her foot while playing soccer.
My feet ache after a long day of walking.
UsageOne foot, two feet.
Note
2
twelve inchesnouncountable
A length equal to twelve inches, used to measure things.
About the length of a ruler used in school.
Each step is roughly one foot long.
The room is about ten feet wide.
3
noununcountablebefore a noun
The act of going somewhere by walking.
We crossed the whole town on foot.
It's quicker to go by foot than to wait for the bus.
UsageSay go on foot: walk there.
4
area unitnouncolloquialabbreviationellipsis
Short for square foot: a unit for measuring the size of a floor or room.
The realtor said the loft is about twelve hundred feet, not counting the balcony.
Shops in that mall rent for about thirty dollars a foot.
Note
5
bottomnouncountable
The bottom part of something, like a hill, the stairs, or a page.
We camped at the foot of the mountain.
She left her boots at the foot of the stairs.
UsageSay at the foot of the hill.
Similarbottom, base
Oppositetop, summit, head
Note
6
support legnouncountable
A small part on the bottom of an object that holds it up.
Our old bathtub stands on four curved metal feet.
She glued a rubber foot back onto the lamp.
Similarleg

Less common meanings

7
payverbtransitive
To pay for something, especially the whole cost.
Like being the one who pays for everyone after a meal.
Her parents agreed to foot the bill for the wedding.
The company will foot the cost of the move.
Usagefoot the bill means pay for it.
Similarpay, cover, settle, meet
Note
8
table endnouncountable
The end of a bed or table that is opposite the head end.
Grandpa always sat at the foot of the table.
She set the dessert down at the foot of the table.
UsageSay at the foot of the table.
Similarbottom
Oppositehead, top
9
standingnounarchaiccountable
The basis or position something is on, as in 'on an equal foot' with others.
Note
10
infantrynouncollectiveuncountable
Soldiers who march and fight on foot, not on horses.
The general sent the foot ahead of the cavalry.
A thousand foot held the narrow bridge.
Similarinfantry
Oppositehorse, cavalry
Note
11
volume unitnouncolloquialabbreviationellipsis
Short for cubic foot: a unit of volume, often used to measure gas.
The well produces a few thousand feet of gas every hour.
Gas from this old well sells for less than a penny a foot.
Note
12
walkverbtransitive
To go somewhere on foot, or to walk.
We had to foot it home when the car broke down.
They footed it across the field to reach the gate.
Usagefoot it means walk there.
Similarhoof, walk, trek, hike
Note
13
snail musclenouncountable
The strong muscle a snail or clam uses to move or hold onto a surface.
Like the soft, sticky base a snail slides along on.
The snail crept forward slowly on its muscular foot.
A clam can pull itself down into the sand using its foot.
Note
14
poetry rhythmnouncountable
A group of syllables treated as one unit of rhythm or stress in poetry or speech.
Like one beat in a piece of music.
Each foot in the line carries one strong beat.
Count the feet in each line of the poem.
Note
15
verbtransitive
To kick something, usually a ball, with your foot.
She footed the loose ball into the empty net.
When the ball is too wet to catch, players foot it ahead.
Similarkick, boot
16
sewing machinenouncountable
The part of a sewing machine that holds the fabric down as you sew.
Lower the foot before you start sewing.
The foot pressed the cloth flat under the needle.
Note
17
add upverbtransitive
To add up a column of numbers to find the total.
Like adding up everything on a shopping list to get the total.
Foot the numbers carefully so the total comes out right.
The clerk footed up each column before closing the books.
Similartotal, tally, add, sum
Note
18
nouncountable
The part of a sock or similar piece of clothing that covers your foot, below the ankle.
There is a big hole in the foot of my sock.
The pajamas' feet have rubber grips so the baby won't slip on the floor.
Note
19
noun
The end of a pool table where the balls are set up in their triangle.
20
noun
The lower edge of a sail, the part that runs along the bottom.
21
noun
The end of a cigar that you light.
22
noun
The point where a line meets another line that crosses it at a right angle.
23
verbarchaic
To move your feet in time with music, or to dance.
There's time enough, I hope, To foot a measure with the bonnie bride,
1836, Joanna Baillie, The PhantomHere, foot means to dance, moving the feet in time with music.
24
noun
A unit naming an organ stop’s pitch by the length of an open pipe that would produce its lowest note.
25
noun
The part of a moss's spore stalk that stays buried in and joined to the parent plant.
26
noun
The bottom part of a metal type piece, which forms the sides of a small groove.
27
noun
The ball-shaped bottom section of some protein molecules.
28
verbarchaic
To walk on something or step onto it.
People who would not have dared to foot the place before crept in and did not come to the house.
1937, Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God
29
verbobsolete
To start something, or to bring someone onto land.
What confederacy have you with the traitors / Late footed in the kingdom?
c. 1603, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”
30
verb
To put a new foot part on a worn sock or stocking.
31
verbIreland
To stand pieces of cut peat in small piles to dry.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of foot apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Old English fōt, going back through Proto-Germanic to an ancient root meaning "foot."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Foot comes from Old English fōt through Proto-Germanic. en.wikipedia.org
Its ancient ancestor meant foot. en.wiktionary.org