put one's foot in it

put (one's) foot in it

To unintentionally say something foolish, tactless, or offensive. Oh man, did I ever put my foot in it—I just congratulated Sarah's sister on being pregnant. She isn't. He just tends to put his foot in it when he's forced to speak for too long, so try to get him off stage as soon as possible.

See also: foot, put

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

put one's foot in it

Make a blunder, as in I didn't know it was a surprise party; I guess I put my foot in it. This expression presumably alludes to setting one's foot down in mud or excrement. [Late 1700s] Also see foot in one's mouth.

See also: foot, put

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.