English Reference
noun · verb

foot

n. · v.
US /ˈfʊt/ UK /fˈʊt/ foot

  1. 01 A1 Beginner

    n.the part of your body at the end of your leg that you stand on.

    n.the terminal part of the vertebrate leg upon which an individual stands or walks.

    Simple

    He took off his shoes to feel the cool grass under his feet.

    In context

    The athlete suffered a minor fracture in her left foot during the final minutes of the championship match.

    Pitfall
    My foots are tired. My feet are tired.

    The plural of 'foot' is 'feet'.

  2. 02 A2 Elementary American English

    n.a unit of length equal to 12 inches or about 30 centimetres.

    n.a unit of linear measure in the imperial system equal to 12 inches or 30.48 centimetres.

    Simple

    The water in the shallow end of the pool is only three feet deep.

    In context

    The pilot was instructed to maintain an altitude of thirty thousand feet until the aircraft cleared the mountain range.

    Pitfall
    The table is six feet long. The table is six foot long.

    When used as a measurement before a noun, the singular form 'foot' is often used (e.g., a six-foot table).

  3. 03 B1 Intermediate

    n.the lowest part or base of something, like a mountain or a bed.

    n.the lowest part, base, or bottom of an object or geographical feature.

    Simple

    We set up our camp at the foot of the mountain before starting the climb.

    In context

    A small wooden chest sat at the foot of the bed, containing extra blankets for the winter months.

  4. 04 C1 Advanced AcademicTechnical

    n.a small group of sounds that make a rhythm in a poem.

    n.the basic unit of rhythmic measurement in a line of poetry, usually consisting of one stressed and one or more unstressed syllables.

    Simple

    The teacher explained how to count each foot in the poem to find the rhythm.

    In context

    The sonnet is written in iambic pentameter, meaning each line contains five metrical feet.

  5. 05 B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    v.to pay for something, especially a large or expensive bill.

    v.to settle or pay a bill or invoice; typically used in the phrase 'foot the bill'.

    Simple

    My parents offered to foot the bill for my graduation dinner.

    In context

    The taxpayers were ultimately forced to foot the bill for the city's failed infrastructure project.

    Usage

    Usually appears in the fixed idiom 'foot the bill'.

Usage foot the bill

This entry
Level A1 · Beginner
Frequency Very common
Updated