Today we’ll be talking about words and idioms with the noun FOOT. We already covered idioms with HEAD, EYE, MOUTH, TOOTH, NECK, HEART and HAND, so feel free to check them out if you haven’t already.
This article comes from issue 2 (1/2023) of Your American English Magazine. You’ll find much more interesting stuff there, I’m sure.
| My friend’s son, Phil, was young and successful. He felt the world was at his feet. After graduating from college, he took a job an assistant to the editor in chief of a fashion magazine to get his foot in the door. Phil got his feet wet at his new job by doing simple editorial tasks. He quickly found his feet in the big company. Even then he always kept his feet on the ground. Phil was a good worker, a loyal foot soldier in the war against foot-dragging on important issues. He never let the grass grow under his feet. He never put a foot wrong. When he talked to his boss, Peter, he always put his best foot forward. Everybody liked him. But then, one day, suddenly the shoe was on the other foot. | at sb’s feet – close to someone’s feet or, figuratively, offering great opportunities to sb get your foot in the door – to make the first step toward a goal by gaining entry into an organization, a career, etc. get your feet wet – to begin doing a new job, activity, etc., in usually a slow and simple way in order to become more familiar with it find your feet – to start to be comfortable in a new situation, to begin to be confident or successful have/keep your feet on the ground – to be a sensible and practical person foot soldier – a soldier who marches and fights on foot (infantryman) or, figuratively, a person who does active and difficult work for an organization or cause foot-dragging – failure to do sth quickly because you do not want to do it let the grass grow under your feet – to wait before doing sth or to do sth slowly — used in negative statements put a foot wrong – to make a mistake put your best foot forward – to behave very well so that sb will like you and approve of you the shoe is on the other foot – used to say that a situation has changed to the opposite of what it was before |
| “Wanna see you in my office, Phil,” his boss said one day. “This is Ken, my successor,” he said. “You know, Phil, I’m old, I’ve got one foot in the grave and that’s why I decided to resign. I hope you’ll get off on the right foot with Ken. He’s our man, if you know what I mean.” But Phil didn’t know. This situation caught Phil and his coworkers flat-footed. | have one foot in the grave – to be close to dying because of old age or illness get/start off on the right foot – to begin a relationship well catch sb flat-footed – to surprise sb who is not ready or prepared for sth |
| A few days later Peter, Phil’s boss, was arrested. “Unbelievable, my foot! It’s just unbelievable!” Phil thought to himself. “I must go visit him,” he decided. “- I’ve always considered you my friend,” Peter said as soon as Phil set foot in his jail cell. “I’m not going to lie to you anymore. I’m being accused of accepting bribes.” “- Did you take any?”, Phil asked. “- I did, and Ken knew about it. But he landed on his feet and now he must take care of our business. I hope you’ll help him.” Phil was shocked to hear that. The man he had admired so much turned out to have feet of clay. By taking the bribes he shot himself in the foot. The police finally put their feet down. | my foot – (old-fashioned) used to express surprise or disagreement set foot – to enter land on your feet – to be lucky and be in good condition or in a good situation after having a bad or difficult experience have feet of clay – to be a person who was admired in the past but who has serious faults or flaws shoot yourself in the foot – to do or say sth that causes trouble for yourself put your foot down – to deal with sb in a harsh or strict way |
| Phil decided to go back to the office on foot in order to have some time to think. It wasn’t easy, though, as there was a lot of foot traffic that day and he couldn’t concentrate. Some people were hurrying so that they almost knocked him off his feet. It was an exhausting day. Phil was dead on his feet. He was thinking only of one thing now: going back home after work and putting his feet up. But first he had to go back to the office. “What am I supposed to tell Ken?” he thought. “Does he know I know? I don’t want to start off on the wrong foot and work with someone I don’t respect,” he thought. As soon as he arrived back at the office, he went straight to his room. After hours of dragging his feet, he decided to talk to Ken. He knew what to say, went to his office, but when Ken welcomed him with a friendly smile, he got cold feet and couldn’t say anything. “The business is on its feet now,” Phil thought. “I already put my foot in it when I asked Ken why Peter was arrested. I saw how embarrassed he was.” Phil loved his job, but now, for the first time, he started to get itchy feet. | on foot – by walking foot traffic – people walking in an area (like a street or park) off your feet – not in a standing position, in or into a sitting or lying position dead on your feet – very tired but still standing, working, etc. put your feet up – to sit and relax, to not work or be active get/start off on the wrong foot – to begin a relationship badly drag your feet/heels – to avoid doing sth for a long time because you do not want to do it cold feet – a feeling of worry or doubt that is strong enough to stop you from doing sth that you planned to do on your feet – in a standing position or in a good position or condition put your foot in your mouth / put your foot in it – to say sth that causes sb to be embarrassed, upset, or hurt especially when you did not expect that reaction itchy feet – a strong desire to leave a place, job, etc., and go somewhere else |
| Phil had always had a passion for dancing. “But will I be able to stand on my own two feet if I leave my job here and enter the world of show business?” he wondered. “Am I good at dancing? Maybe I’ve got two left feet?” In fact, Phil had always been a light-footed dancer, but, as a former fleet-footed runner, he also had athlete’s foot, so he had some doubts about taking up dancing as a career. “Is it enough to be light on your feet?” he wondered. “Will anybody want to watch me perform? Will I be able to bring the crowd to its feet? Or, maybe they’ll vote with their feet and stop coming to see me?” Anyway, how did this story end? Well, Ken’s daughter started work at the publishing house and she just swept Phil off his feet. A year later they got married and are still working there. | stand on your own two feet – to support yourself without help from other people two left feet – used to describe a person who dances badly light-footed – able to move in a quick and graceful way fleet-footed – able to run fast athlete’s foot – a condition in which the skin between and around the toes cracks and peels light on your feet – capable of moving in a quick and graceful way to your feet – to a standing position vote with your feet – to show your dislike of a particular place or situation by leaving and going somewhere else sweep sb off their feet – to make sb suddenly become very attracted to you in a romantic way |
