Fŏot1, n.
n.; pl. FEET. [A-S. & O. Sax. fōt, pl. fēt, Goth. fōtus, Icel. fōtr, Sw. fot, Dan. fod, D. voet, O. H. Ger. fuoz, M. H. Ger. vuoz, N. H. Ger. fuss, allied to Gr. ποῦς, ποδός, Lat. pes, pedis, Skr. padas.]
Sense 1. The extremity below the ankle; that part of the body which treads the ground in standing or walking.
Sense 2. That which corresponds to the foot of a man or animal; as, the foot of a table, or of a stocking.
Sense 3. The lowest part or foundation; the ground part; the bottom, as of a mountain or column; also, the last of a row or series; as, the foot of the procession, or the foot of a class.
And now at foot Of heaven’s ascent they lift their feet. Milton.
Sense 4. Fundamental principle; basis; plan;—used only in the singular.
Answer directly upon the foot of dry reason and argument. Berkeley.
Sense 5. Recognized condition; rank; footing;—used only in the singular. [Rare.]
As to his being on the foot of a servant. Walpole.
Sense 6. A measure consisting of twelve inches;—supposed to be taken from the length of a man’s foot. It is equal to 12/39.1012 of the length of a seconds-pendulum in the City Hall of New York.
This is the length of the foot established by law in the United States. In other countries the foot differs somewhat from this.
Sense 7. (Mil.) The foot-soldiers; the infantry, usually designated as the foot, in distinction from the cavalry. “Both horse and foot.” Milton.
Sense 8. (Pros.) A combination of syllables constituting a metrical element of a verse, the syllables being formerly distinguished by their quantity or length, but in modern poetry by the accent.
By foot, or on foot, by walking; as, to go or pass on foot; or by fording; as, to pass a stream on foot.—Cubic foot, a volume equal to that of a cube the edges of which are twelve inches in length; 1728 cubic inches.—Square foot, an area equal to that of a square the sides of which are twelve inches in length; 144 square inches.—To be on foot, to be in motion, action, or process of execution.—To set on foot, to originate; to begin; to put in motion; as, to set on foot a subscription.—Under foot, below par; at less than the par value. [Obs.]
They would be forced to sell their means, be it lands or goods, far under foot. Bacon.