footing
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the ability to stand or move without falling on a difficult surface.
the state of having a stable or secure position for the feet; physical balance on a surface.
Simple“He lost his footing on the icy path and nearly fell into the bushes.”
In context“The climbers struggled to maintain their footing as the loose shale shifted beneath their boots with every upward step.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
the position or status you have when dealing with other people.
the basis or foundation on which a relationship, organisation, or process exists.
Simple“The two companies are now on an equal footing after the new contract.”
In context“The peace treaty was designed to put the neighbouring nations on a more secure diplomatic footing after decades of border disputes.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
the wide part at the bottom of a wall that supports a building.
the widened base of a foundation wall or column, designed to distribute the structural load over a larger area of soil.
Simple“The builders poured concrete into the trenches to create a solid footing for the house.”
In context“The structural engineer insisted on deeper footings to account for the high clay content and potential for soil expansion during the rainy season.”
Synonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
the act of adding up a column of numbers to find the total.
the process of summing a column of figures in an account or ledger.
Simple“She checked the footing of the sales column to ensure the books balanced.”
In context“An error in the initial footing of the balance sheet led to a significant discrepancy that was only discovered during the final audit.”
“A woman who “may have lost her footing” has died in an incident in Lake Ontario over the weekend.”
“Despite being on a war footing it is likely that Uefa and Fifa will reach a public truce in the next few weeks that would enable the competition to go ahead.”
From Middle English fotyng; equivalent to foot + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.