foot (redirected from thinking on feet)

the boot is on the other foot (British & Australian, American)

if you say that the boot is on the other foot, you mean that a situation is now the opposite of what it was before, often because a person who was in a weak position is now in a strong position. In the past, we had great influence over their economy, but the boot is on the other foot now.

See also: boot, other

can't put a foot wrong (British & Australian)

if someone can't put a foot wrong, people like them so much that they think everything they do is perfect. As far as Charles is concerned, she can't put a foot wrong.

See also: can't, wrong

foot the bill

to pay for something. Who's going to foot the bill for all the repairs? (often + for)

See also: bill

get a/your foot in the door (British, American & Australian, Australian)

to start working at a low level for an organization because you want a better job in the same organization in the future. I know it's not the job you'd hoped for, but at least you can use it to get your foot in the door.

See also: door

get off/start off on the right foot

1. get off/start off on the wrong foot - if you get off on the wrong foot with someone you have just met, your relationship starts badly, often with an argument. I got off on the right foot by telling her how impressed I was with her work. (usually in past tenses)

2. get off/start off on the wrong foot - to start an activity badly. The commission has started off on the right foot by consulting local people.

See also: right, start

get off/start off on the wrong foot

1. if you get off on the wrong foot with someone you have just met, your relationship starts badly, often with an argument. I don't really know why, but somehow Clare and I got off on the wrong foot. (usually in past tenses)

2. to start an activity badly. If I get off on the wrong foot with one of my paintings, I know it will never be right.

See also: start, wrong

give someone a foot in the door

get a/your foot in the door - to start working at a low level for an organization because you want a better job in the same organization in the future. The freelance work I did gave me a foot in the door.

See also: door, give

have a heavy foot (American, informal)

to drive a car too fast. She has a heavy foot - does the trip in half the time it takes me!

See also: heavy

have one foot in the grave (humorous)

to be very old and likely to die soon. He's been telling everyone he's got one foot in the grave for years now.

See also: grave

have/keep a foot in both camps

to be involved with two groups of people who often have very different aims and opinions. He has moved from fringe to mainstream theatre, but he still keeps a foot in both camps.

See also: both, camp, keep

My foot! (old-fashioned)

something that you say after repeating something someone has just said, in order to show that you do not believe it. A fluent French speaker my foot! He knows a few words at the most.

not put a foot wrong (British & Australian)

to not make any mistakes. Angie has always been good at her job, she never puts a foot wrong.

See also: wrong

put your best foot forward

1. to do something as well as you can. Make sure you put your best foot forward for tonight's performance.

2. to start to walk more quickly. You'll have to put your best foot forward if you want to be there by nine.

See also: best, forward

put your foot down

1. to tell someone in a strong way that they must do something or that they must stop doing something. You can't just let him do what he wants, you'll have to put your foot down. When Anna came home drunk one afternoon I decided it was time to put my foot down.

2. to suddenly increase your speed when you are driving. The road ahead was clear, so I put my foot down and tried to overtake the car in front.

See also: down

put your foot in it (British, American & Australian, informal, American)

to say something by accident which embarrasses or upsets someone. I really put my foot in it with Julie. I didn't realise she was a vegetarian.

put your foot to the floor (American)

to suddenly increase your speed when you are driving. I put my foot to the floor and reached the apartment in less than an hour.

See also: floor

shoot yourself in the foot

to do or say something stupid which causes problems for you. He shot himself in the foot by suggesting that women politicians were incompetent.

See also: shoot

wait on someone hand and foot

to do everything for someone so that they do not have to do anything for themselves. He just wants a woman to wait on him hand and foot.

See also: hand, wait

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foot the bill

1. to pay all the costs for something. We ended up having to foot the bill for a new roof because our insurance didn't cover storm damage.

2. to pay money owed. Who's going to foot the bill for all the repairs?

See also: bill

get your foot in the door

to have an opportunity. This part-time work has allowed Frank to get his foot in the door and he hopes it will lead to a full-time job.

See also: door

get off on the right foot

to begin doing something in a way that is likely to succeed. We like to start our meetings on time, and we got off on the right foot this morning.

See also: right

get off on the wrong foot

to begin doing something in a way that is likely to fail. Holly's new secretary really got off on the wrong foot by being rude to visitors.

See also: wrong

have one foot in the grave

to be likely to die soon. He had one foot in the grave when he volunteered to receive the world's first artificial heart.

See also: grave

my foot

not possibly. They call it the Thrifty Supermarket. Thrifty my foot — every time I go in there, it costs me a fortune.

Usage notes: used after a word or phrase to show you disagree with its meaning

not put a foot wrong

to not make any mistakes. The author never puts a foot wrong as she tells this tangled story filled with complex characters.

See also: wrong

not touch something with a ten-foot pole

to not want to become involved with something. If I were you, I wouldn't touch that job with a ten-foot pole.

Usage notes: often used as a warning

See also: pole, touch

put your best foot forward

to act in a way that causes other people to have a good opinion of you. All I could do was put my best foot forward and hope I made a good impression.

See also: best, forward

put your foot down

to decide something and express your decision. Mom put her foot down and said I couldn't use the car until my grades improved.

See also: down

set foot in somewhere

to visit or go to a place. Most people who live in New York have never set foot in the Statue of Liberty, which is, of course, right in the middle of New York harbor.

See also: set

the shoe is on the other foot

the situation is now the opposite of what it was before. Now that I don't smoke, the shoe is on the other foot and I don't want people smoking around me.

See also: other, shoe

shoot yourself in the foot

to do or say something that causes problems for you. My brother has shot himself in the foot twice by turning down buyers for his house.

See also: shoot

wait on someone hand and foot

to do everything for another person. You should do some of the work around here instead of being waited on hand and foot all the time.

Usage notes: often used as a negative remark about someone thought of as unwilling to work

wait on someone

See also: hand, wait