|
Idiom |
Meaning |
|
Cut the ground from
under
somebody's feet |
When someone cuts the ground from under another's feet,
they do something which weakens their position or spoils their
plans.
"When we launched the new product, we cut the ground from
under our competitors' feet." |
|
|
Drag your feet |
If you drag your feet, you delay a decision or participate without
any real enthusiasm.
"The government is dragging its feet on
measures to reduce
pollution." |
|
To get cold feet |
If you get cold feet about
something, you begin to hesitate about
doing it; you are no longer sure whether you want to do it or not. |
| Feet
of clay |
If someone who is admired is found to have a hidden weakness,
fault or
defect of character, they are said to have
feet of clay.
"No one is perfect. Many successful people have feet of clay." |
To keep one's feet on the
ground |
A person who keeps their feet on the ground
continues to act
in a sensible and practical way, even if they become successful. |
|
To have itchy feet |
A person who has itchy feet is someone
who wants to move
somewhere new or do something different. |
|
To drag one's feet |
If you say that a person is dragging their
feet, you think they are
unnecessarily delaying a decision which is important to you. |
|
To find your feet |
To say that someone in a new situation is
finding their feet means
that they are learning what to do and gaining self-confidence. |
| Land on your feet |
If you land on
your feet, you make a quick recovery after a difficulty
such as a business failure, an illness, a loss, etc.
"Don't worry about Bob. He always lands on his feet!" |
Pull the rug from under someone's
feet |
If you pull the rug from under someone's feet, you suddenly and
unexpectedly remove all help or support.
"When Andy's mother stopped sending him
money, she pulled the
rug from under his feet and forced him to find a
job." |
| Put your
feet up |
When you put your feet up, you sit down and relax.
"You must be tired. Come in and
put your feet up." |
|
Rushed off your feet. |
If your are rushed off your feet, your are extremely busy.
"I'd love to have lunch with you but we're rushed off our feet at the
moment at the office." |
|
Stand on your own two feet |
If you
stand on your own two feet, you are independent and need
no help from anyone.
"When young people leave home, they learn to stand on their own
two
feet." |
|
Think on one's
feet |
A
person who thinks on their feet is capable of making good
decisions without previous thinking or planning.
"Good lawyers need to be able to think on their feet when pleading
a case." |
|
Two left
feet |
If you have two left feet, you are clumsy or awkward in your
movements. |
|
|
A foot in the door |
If you say that someone has a foot in the
door, you mean that they
have a small but successful start in something and will possibly do well
in the future.
"With today's unemployment, it's difficult to get a foot in the door in any
profession." |
|
Put
one's
foot in one's mouth |
If
you put your foot in your mouth, you do or say something that
offends, upsets or embarrasses someone else.
"She really put her foot in her mouth when she mentioned the
housewarming party - Andy hadn't been invited!" |
Get (or start) off on the
right/wrong foot |
This expression means to start a
relationship well or badly.
"I was looking forward to working with Julie but we seem to have
started off on the wrong foot." |
|
Put our best foot forward |
If
someone puts their best foot forward, they do something as fast as
they can.
"It's a long way to the station, but if I put my best foot forward I should
catch the next train." |
|
To put one's foot down |
To put one's foot down means to exert
authority to prevent
something from happening |
|
| The shoe is on the other
foot |
When the circumstances have reversed and one person now doing
what the
the other person did in the past, you can say that the shoe
is on the other foot.
"I used to advise my children to eat healthy food. Now my
daughter
is a nutritionist and the shoe is on the other foot - she advises
me!" |
|
Shoot
yourself in the
foot |
If you shoot yourself in the foot,
you do or say something which is
against your own interests.
"When Julie was asked at the interview if she had any weaknesses,
she really shot herself in the foot the way she answered." |
|
Heels |
| Bring someone to
heel |
If you force someone to behave in a disciplined manner, you bring
them to heel.
"He had always behaved badly, but the new headmaster managed
to bring him to heel." |
| Cool one`s heels |
If you are left to cool your heels, someone keeps you waiting.
"After rushing to be on
time for my appointment, I was left to cool my
heels in the waiting room for an hour." |
|
Dig in your heels |
If you dig in your heels, you
refuse to do something, especially if
someone is trying to convince you to do so.
"My grandfather dug in his heels and refused to move to an
apartment." |
|
Toes |
|
Keep someone on their toes |
If you keep someone on their toes, you
make them stay alert and
ready for action at any time. |
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