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footing
result of thoughtlessness, and so cause an awkward situation: I really put my foot in it when I asked him how his wife was; she's left him for another man. 20-footed /fʊtɪd/ having feet of the stated kind or number: four-footed/flat-footed | Ducks are web-footed. 21-footer /fʊtəʳ/ a person or thing that is a stated number of feet long, tall, or high: My brother is a six-footer. ▸ see also COLD FEET, FEET OF CLAY, UNDERFOOT, drag one's feet (DRAG¹), fall on one's feet (FALL¹), tie/bind someone hand and foot (HAND¹), be rushed off one's feet (RUSH¹), stand on one's own (two) feet (STAND¹), sweep someone off their feet (SWEEP¹)
foot² v foot the bill infml to pay the bill: My parents footed the bill for the wedding.
footage /'fʊtɪdʒ/ n [U] (the length in feet of) cinema film used for a scene, subject etc: They screened some interesting old footage of the first flight across the Atlas Mountains.
foot-and-mouth disease n [U] a disease of cattle, sheep, and goats, in which spots appear in the mouth and on the feet, and which often causes death
football (soccer AmE)
foot-ball /'fʊtbɔːl/ n 1 [U] also Association football fmI — BrE a game that is played between two teams of 11 players using a round ball that is kicked but not handled; SOCCER: a football player | a football match ▸ see colour photo on page A45 2 [U] AmE || American football BrE an American game, rather like RUGBY, played between two teams of 11 players using an OVAL (=egg-shaped) ball that can be handled or kicked 3 [C] a large leather or plastic ball filled with air, used in these games 4 [C] something (for example an idea) which is used as the starting point for an argument, disagreement etc, rather than being considered for its own qualities: The issue has become a political football. ▸ see REFEREE (USAGE) ——er n: a professional footballer
CULTURAL NOTE Football in the US Football (called 'American football' in British English) is a very popular sport in the US. Many people, especially men, support a particular team, usually the team from the city where they live, and go to watch them play or watch their games on television. The football SEASON (=the time of year when football is played) starts in early autumn and finishes at the end of January. The organization that controls professional football is called the NFL (=National Football League). The NFL is divided into two CONFERENCES, the AFC (=American Football Conference) and the NFC (=National Football Conference). Each conference is separated into three divisions: the Eastern, Central, and Western divisions. In January the two teams that have won the most games in each conference play against each other in the SUPER BOWL to decide which is the best professional football team in the US, and this is an important national event. College Football Colleges in the US also have football teams with student players, and students and other people support the college teams. Many college football players later become professional players. On January 1st, the winning teams from the two main conferences, the PAC 10 and the BIG TEN play against each other in the ROSE BOWL in Pasadena, California. Football in the UK Football (called soccer in the US) is the most popular sport in the UK. The football season is between August and May. Many people, especially men, support a particular team and go to watch them play or watch the games on television. Professional football is controlled by the FOOTBALL LEAGUE and the FA (=the Football Association). In England and Wales the teams are organized into four DIVISIONS: the Premiership, controlled by the FA, and the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Divisions, controlled by the Football League. In Scotland the teams are organized into three divisions: the Scottish Premier League, and the 1st and 2nd Divisions. Teams play regularly against other teams in their division. At the end of the season the team with the most points in the Premiership (or the Scottish Premier League) becomes the League Champion. In each division, the teams that have performed least well are sent down to the division below, and the teams with the most points go up to the division above. The FA Cup The FA CUP often just called 'the cup', is the other main football competition in the UK. It is a KNOCKOUT competition (=one in which a losing team no longer takes part, and a winning team goes on to the next ROUND), and it involves many small AMATEUR clubs as well as the professional teams. There is always a lot of interest when a 'non-league' (=amateur) team beats a well-known professional team, and the newspapers call these teams 'giantkillers'. The two teams left in the competition at the end play in the FA Cup FINAL in May. This was held at Wembley Stadium in London from 1923 to 2000, and at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff while Wembley Stadium was being rebuilt. This is an important national event, and millions of people watch it on television. ▸ see also WORLD CUP
'Football Association, the the full name of the FA
'football fan n a very keen supporter of football, especially of a particular team
'football field n an area covered with grass, marked out for the game of football
'football hooligan n in Britain, a noisy, violent, usually young man, who causes trouble by fighting at football matches or near football grounds
CULTURAL NOTE In the UK in the past, football hooligans were a big problem. These days the police and football clubs have been successful at preventing HOOLIGANISM at football grounds. Some English football fans who travel to matches in foreign countries still fight and get into trouble. The British police try to stop known football hooligans from travelling abroad.
Football 'League, the the organization of professional football teams in England and Wales. There are 72 professional teams organized into three LEAGUES: the Championship, and Leagues One and Two, but does not include the FA PREMIERSHIP, which is the highest league. Professional football in Scotland is controlled by a similar organization called the Scottish Football League. ▸ see also FA
'football pools n [the P] ▸ see POOLS
'football shirt BrE || 'football jersey AmE — n a shirt worn when playing football. Football shirts are usually brightly coloured and help the players and people watching to tell the two teams apart. They show each player's number (and sometimes their name) on the back.
foot-bridge /'fʊtbrɪdʒ/ n a narrow bridge to be used only by people walking
foot-fall /'fʊtfɔːl/ n especially lit the sound of a footstep
'foot fault n (in games like tennis) a mistake that happens when the feet of the player who is serving (SERVE) are not behind the BASELINE —foot-fault v [I]
foot-hill /'fʊtˌhɪl/ n [usually pl.] a low hill at the bottom of a mountain or chain of mountains: the foothills of the Himalayas
foot-hold /'fʊthəʊld/ n somewhere where a foot can be firmly placed to help one to continue to climb up or down: The mountain climber couldn't find many footholds on the melting ice. 1 (fig.) It isn't easy to get/gain a foothold (=a first position from which to advance) in the film world.
footie /'fʊti/ n [U] BrE infml football
foot-ing /'fʊtɪŋ/ n [S] 1 a firm placing of the feet; a surface for the feet to stand on: She lost her footing on the muddy road and fell. 2 a particular (stated) kind of position or base: