Word: foot Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From Middle English fot, fote, foot, from Old English fōt, from Proto-West Germanic *fōt, from Proto-Germanic *fōts, from Proto-Indo-European *pṓds. Doublet of pes, pie (“Spanish unit of length”), and pous. Cognates *Scots fit (“foot”) *Yola voote (“foot”) *North Frisian fut, fötj (“foot”) *Saterland Frisian Fout (“foot”) *West Frisian foet (“foot”) *Cimbrian buus, vuaz, vuus (“foot”) *Dutch voet (“foot”) *Dutch Low Saxon voot (“foot”) *German Fuß, Fuss (“foot”) *German Low German Faut, Foot (“foot”) *Gottscheerish vúəs (“foot”) *Luxembourgish Fouss (“foot”) *Mòcheno vuas (“foot”) *Vilamovian füs (“foot”) *Yiddish פֿוס (fus, “foot”) *Danish fod (“foot”) *Faroese and Icelandic fótur (“foot”) *Jamtish fót (“foot”) *Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish fot (“foot”) *Gothic 𐍆𐍉𐍄𐌿𐍃 (fōtus, “foot”). Pronunciation: /fʊt/, [fʊt], [fʊt̚], [fʊtʰ], [fɵʔt] 1. 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. Example: A spider has eight feet. 2. Specifically, a human foot, which is found below the ankle and is used for standing and walking. Example: Southern Italy is shaped like a foot. Example: And when I ſawe him, I fell at his feete as dead : and hee laid his right hand vpon me, ſaying vnto mee, Feare not, *I am the firſt,and the laſt. 3. Travel by walking. Labels: attributive, often Example: We went there by foot because we could not afford a taxi. Example: There is a lot of foot traffic on this street. 4. The base or bottom of anything. Example: I'll meet you at the foot of the stairs. 5. The part of a flat surface on which the feet customarily rest. Example: We came and stood at the foot of the bed. 6. The end of a rectangular table opposite the head. Example: The host should sit at the foot of the table. 7. A short foot-like projection on the bottom of an object to support it. Example: The feet of the stove hold it a safe distance above the floor. 8. A unit of measure equal to twelve inches or one third of a yard, equal to exactly 30.48 centimetres. Example: The flag pole, which is 20 feet high, was hoisted by a six-foot tall man. Example: My sis's just over six foot two. 9. A unit of measure equal to twelve inches or one third of a yard, equal to exactly 30.48 centimetres. Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, informal 10. A unit of measure equal to twelve inches or one third of a yard, equal to exactly 30.48 centimetres. Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, informal 11. A unit of measure for organ pipes equal to the wavelength of two octaves above middle C, approximately 328 mm. 12. Foot soldiers; infantry. Labels: collective Example: King John went to battle with ten thousand foot and one thousand horse. Example: His forces, after all the high discourses, amounted really but to eighteen hundred foot. 13. The end of a cigar which is lit, and usually cut before lighting. Example: He removes a gold lighter from his pocket, flips it open, and waves the flame over the foot, taking short, sucking pulls off the head till it’s lit. 14. The part of a sewing machine which presses downward on the fabric, and may also serve to move it forward. 15. The bottommost part of a typed or printed page. 16. The base of a piece of type, forming the sides of the groove. 17. The basic measure of rhythm in a poem. 18. 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. 19. The bottom edge of a sail. Example: To make the mainsail fuller in shape, the outhaul is eased to reduce the tension on the foot of the sail. Example: Flutter is when the leech or foot of a sail is vibrating from the wind 20. The end of a billiard or pool table behind the foot point where the balls are racked. 21. In a bryophyte, that portion of a sporophyte which remains embedded within and attached to the parent gametophyte plant. Example: (b) sporophyte with foot reduced, the entire sporophyte enveloped by the calyptra, which is ± stipitate at the base. 22. The muscular part of a bivalve mollusc or a gastropod by which it moves or holds its position on a surface. 23. The globular lower domain of a protein. 24. The point of intersection of one line with another that is perpendicular to it. 25. Fundamental principle; basis; plan. Example: To conſider the vvhole of the Subject, to read and think on all ſides, to object plainly, and anſvver directly, upon the foot of dry Reaſon and Argument, vvou'd be a very tedious and troubleſome Affair. 26. Recognized condition; rank; footing. Example: May 20, 1742, Horace Walpole, letter to Horace Mann As to his being on the foot of a servant.