foot

The part at the bottom of your leg that you stand and walk on.

• My foot hurts.
• She washed her feet before bed.
• Did you hurt your foot while running?

Common phrases: left foot, bare foot, foot pain, hurt your foot

A unit for measuring length, equal to twelve inches or about thirty centimetres.

• The shelf is one foot wide.
• He is six feet tall.
• We moved the table a few feet closer.

Common phrases: one foot long, square foot, a foot wide, foot high

Travelling by walking, usually in the phrase on foot.

• I go to school on foot.
• They explored the old town on foot.
• Can we get there on foot?

How to use it: on foot (We reached the village on foot.)

Common phrases: on foot, go on foot, travel on foot

The lowest part or base of something tall or rising.

• Wait at the foot of the stairs.
• A village stands at the foot of the hill.
• They built a shelter near the foot of the cliff.

How to use it: at the foot of something (We parked at the foot of the mountain.)

Similar words: base, bottom

Opposites: top, summit

Common phrases: foot of something, at the foot, foot of the stairs

The end of a bed or similar surface where your feet usually rest.

• She sat at the foot of the bed.
• A blanket lay across the foot of the bed.
• We put a small chest at the bed's foot.

How to use it: at the foot of the bed (The dog sleeps at the foot of the bed.)

Similar words: lower end

Opposites: head

Common phrases: foot of the bed, at the foot, bed's foot

To pay a bill, especially a large bill or one that someone else caused.

• Who will foot the bill?
• Her parents footed the bill for the wedding.
• Taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for these mistakes.

How to use it: foot the bill for something (The company will foot the bill for your hotel.)

Similar words: pay, cover

Common phrases: foot the bill, foot someone's bill, foot the cost

To walk somewhere, usually in the phrase foot it.

• We had to foot it home.
• They footed it back to the village.
• Will you ride, or foot it?

How to use it: foot it + place/direction (With no bus available, we footed it home.)

Similar words: walk

Common phrases: foot it, foot it home, foot it back

To add all the numbers in a column to find their total.

• Please foot this column.
• She footed up the figures twice.
• The accountant footed each column before checking the balance.

How to use it: foot up something (The clerk footed up the figures in the ledger.)

Similar words: total, add up, sum

Common phrases: foot a column, foot up something, foot an account