ˌfoot-ˈhot, adv. ? Obs.
[f. foot n. + hot a. or adv.; the n. seems to be locative as in footsore; cf. the differently-formed synonym hot-foot.]
a. In hot haste, without pause or slackening of speed. b. In the phrase to follow foot-hot, the adv. was sometimes taken to mean ‘closely’; hence it was used in other collocations to express mere proximity of situation.
| c 1320 Seuyn Sag. (W.) 843 Als quik he dede his schon of drawe, And karf his vaumpes, fot-hot. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints, Paulus 1164 Paule..Is cumine till hyme now fut⁓hat. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. ii. 228 So that thair apples riped with foothoote The semynaire be sette in. c 1460 Towneley Myst. (Surtees) 150 Lett us ryn fote hote. 1470–85 Malory Arthur ix. xxviii, They chalengyd sire launcelot foote hote. 1513 Douglas æneis i. Prol. 287, I knaw quhat payne is to follow him fute haite. Ibid. xi. xvi. 37 Vnder the montane law thar stude fute hoit A byng of erth. 1576 Turberv. Venerie 138 Those cruell curres..Which vowe foot hote to followe me. 1579–80 North Plutarch (1676) 415 Following him foot-hot, as we commonly say, before the barbarous People could take breath. |