Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web

put one's best foot forward

 - 6 dictionary results

foot

[foot] noun, plural feet for 1–4, 8–11, 16, 19, 21; foots for 20; verb
–noun
1. (in vertebrates) the terminal part of the leg, below the ankle joint, on which the body stands and moves.
2. (in invertebrates) any part similar in position or function.
3. such a part considered as the organ of locomotion.
4. a unit of length, originally derived from the length of the human foot. It is divided into 12 inches and equal to 30.48 centimeters. Abbreviation: ft., f.
5. foot soldiers; infantry.
6. walking or running motion; pace: swift of foot.
7. quality or character of movement or motion; tread; step.
8. any part or thing resembling a foot, as in function, placement, shape, etc.
9. Furniture.
a. a shaped or ornamented feature terminating a leg at its lower part.
b. any of several short legs supporting a central shaft, as of a pedestal table.
10. a rim, flange, or flaring part, often distinctively treated, serving as a base for a table furnishing or utensil, as a glass, teapot, or candlestick.
11. the part of a stocking, sock, etc., covering the foot.
12. the lowest part, or bottom, of anything, as of a hill, ladder, page, etc.
13. a supporting part; base.
14. the part of anything opposite the top or head: He waited patiently at the foot of the checkout line.
15. the end of a bed, grave, etc., toward which the feet are placed: Put the blanket at the foot of the bed, please.
16. Printing. the part of the type body that forms the sides of the groove, at the base.
17. the last, as of a series.
18. that which is written at the bottom, as the total of an account.
19. Prosody. a group of syllables constituting a metrical unit of a verse.
20. Usually, foots.
a. sediment or dregs.
b. footlights.
21. Nautical. the lower edge of a sail.
–verb (used without object)
22. to walk; go on foot (often fol. by it): We'll have to foot it.
23. to move the feet rhythmically, as to music or in dance (often fol. by it).
24. (of vessels) to move forward; sail: to foot briskly across the open water.
–verb (used with object)
25. to walk or dance on: footing the cobblestones of the old city.
26. to perform (a dance): cavaliers footing a galliard.
27. to traverse on or as if on foot.
28. to make or attach a foot to: to foot a stocking.
29. to pay or settle: I always end up footing the bill.
30. to add (a column of figures) and set the sum at the foot (often fol. by up).
31. to seize with talons, as a hawk.
32. to establish.
33. Archaic. to kick, esp. to kick away.
34. Obsolete. to set foot on.
35. get or have a or one's foot in the door, to succeed in achieving an initial stage or step.
36. get off on the right or wrong foot, to begin favorably or unfavorably: He got off on the wrong foot with a tactless remark about his audience.
37. have one foot in the grave. grave 1 (def. 5).
38. on foot, by walking or running, rather than by riding.
39. put one's best foot forward,
a. to attempt to make as good an impression as possible.
b. to proceed with all possible haste; hurry.
40. put one's foot down, to take a firm stand; be decisive or determined.
41. put one's foot in it or into it, Informal. to make an embarrassing blunder. Also, put one's foot in or into one's mouth.
42. set foot on or in, to go on or into; enter: Don't set foot in this office again!
43. under foot, in the way: That cat is always under foot when I'm getting dinner.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE fōt; c. G Fuss; akin to L pēs (s. ped-), Gk poús (s. pod-)
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To put one's best foot forward
Word Origin & History

foot 
O.E. fot, from P.Gmc. *fot (cf. O.N. fotr, Du. voet, Ger. Fuß, Goth. fotus "foot"), from PIE *pod-/*ped- (cf. Avestan pad-; Skt. pat, acc. padam "foot;" Gk. pos, Attic pous, gen. podos; L. pes, gen. pedis "foot;" Lith. padas "sole," peda "footstep"). Plural form feet is an instance of i-mutation. Of a bed, grave, etc., first recorded 1300. The linear measurement of 12 inches is first recorded in O.E., from the length of a man's foot. To foot a bill is attested from 1848, from the process of tallying the expenses and writing the figure at the bottom ("foot") of the bill. Theatrical footlights is first attested 1836; footnote is from 1841. Colloquial exclamation my foot! expressing "contemptuous contradiction" is first attested 1923, probably a euphemism for my ass, in the same sense, which dates back to 1796. The metrical foot (O.E., translating L. pes, Gk. pous in the same sense) is commonly taken as a reference to keeping time by tapping the foot. To get off on the right foot is from 1909; to put one's best foot foremost first recorded 1849.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: foot
Pronunciation: 'fut
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural feet /'fEt/ also foot
1 : the terminal part of the vertebrate leg upon which an individual stands
2 : any of various units of length based on the length of the human foot; especially : aunit equal to 1/3 yard or 12 inches or 30.48 centimeters —plural foot used between a number and a noun foot pole>; —plural feet orfoot used between a number and an adjective <6 feet tall>
Medical Dictionary

foot (f&oobreve;t)
n. pl. feet (fēt)

  1. The lower extremity of the vertebrate leg that is in direct contact with the ground in standing or walking.

  2. A unit of length in the U.S. Customary and British Imperial systems equal to 12 inches (30.48 centimeters).

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Science Dictionary
foot   (ft)  Pronunciation Key 
Plural feet (fēt)
A unit of length in the US Customary System equal to 1/3 of a yard or 12 inches (30.48 centimeters). See Table at measurement.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Idioms & Phrases

put one's best foot forward

Try for the best possible impression, make a good start, as in Come on, let's put our best foot forward for this interview. The allusion in this idiom is unclear, though it may concern marching. One theory is that best foot means "the right foot," the left being regarded as unlucky. [Late 1500s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see put one's best foot forward on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us: