footing, vbl. n.
(ˈfʊtɪŋ)
[f. foot v. + -ing1.]
1. a. The act of walking, pacing, or stepping; a step or tread. Now rare. † to set footing: to set foot (in, on a place), to enter. (Also fig.)
| 1583 Stanyhurst æneis iii. (Arb.) 89 He stutted, apaled And fixt his footing. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iii. ii. 87 Seeke not a Scorpions Nest Nor set a footing on this vnkinde Shore. 1606 ― Tr. & Cr. ii. ii. 155 Can it be, That so degenerate a straine as this, Should once set footing in your generous bosomes? 1604 E. G. Acosta's Hist. Indies iii. xv. 163 For that man hath not so long a sight, nor so nimble and swift footing as were needeful. c 1611 Chapman Iliad x. 294 This man makes footing towards thee, Out of the tents. 1637 G. Daniel Genius of Isle 431 Recall thy footings thence, Wander not in Darke waies. 1642 Remonst. conc. Ch. & Kingd. Irel. 7 They will, with the assistance of Spaine and France, set footing in England. 1820 Keats Isabella xxiii, Towards him they bent their footing through the dews. |
† b. The action of setting foot upon land.
| 1604 Shakes. Oth. ii. i. 76 The bold Iago, Whose footing heere anticipates our thoughts, A Senights speed. |
c. Moving with measured tread, dancing;
† also, a dance.
| 1561 Hoby tr. Castiglione's Courtyer (1577) Y v b, To daunce well without ouer nimble footings or to busy trickes. 1596 Davies Orchestra xiv, My feet..Did neuer yet the Art of footing know. 1652 Peyton Catastr. Ho. Stuarts (1731) 14 Queen Anne, who had trod so many stately Footings in Masks at Court. 1760 Goldsm. Cit. W. lii. ¶6 A squire from the country..desirous of learning the new manner of footing. |
2. A mark or impression left by the foot; a footprint, or footprints collectively; a trace, track, trail. Also
fig. (
cf. footstep). Now
rare.
| 1572 tr. Buchanan's Detect. Mary Q. Scots M j, I will nat here precisely trace out all the footynges of the wickit doynges. 1576 Turberv. Venerie 64 Let him firste marke what manner of Slotte or footing it is. 1579 E. K. Ep. Ded. to Spenser's Sheph. Cal. §4 Poetes, whose foting this Author every where followeth. 1624 Sanderson 12 Serm. (1637) 420 God hath imprinted..some steps and footings of his goodnesse in the Creatures. 1727 Bradley Fam. Dict., s.v. Hart, The Tracts or Footing of divers sorts of Beasts. 1841 D'Israeli Amen. Lit. (1867) 69 In Normandy we trace the first footings of our national power. 1847 Marryat Childr. N. Forest v, See, here is her footing. |
† 3. Recovery (of a woman after confinement) ?
Obs. exc. in
footing-time (see 17).
Cf. on foot.
| 1566 Painter Pal. Pleas. I. 46 a, He asked the wife how she did, and praied the Goddes to send her good footyng, and then inquired of her trauell, and painful panges. |
4. a. The action of placing the feet so as not to slip or stumble; stable position of the feet, foothold.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. v. liv. (1495) 170 The sole of the fote is flesshly and playne forwarde and bakwarde to haue fotynge. c 1500 Melusine lv. 332 But footyng faylled hym, & [he] fell doun deed to the grounde. a 1529 Skelton Col. Cloute 1074 Stande sure and take good fotyng. 1670 Dryden Conq. Granada i. iv. ii, Fear makes men look aside, and then their footing miss. 1708 Prior Turtle & Sparrow 366 Her footing chanc'd to fail And down she fell. 1810 Scott Lady of L. i. xiv, Unless he climb with footing nice, A far projecting precipice. 1869 C. Gibbon R. Gray iv, ‘Come awa, Dawnie, and mind your futting.’ |
b. The action or manner of placing the feet for standing in a given position.
| 1545 R. Ascham Toxoph. (Arb.) 147 The fyrste poynte is when a man shoulde shote, to take suche footyng and standyng as shal be both cumlye to the eye and profytable to his vse. 1856 H. A. Ford Archery ix. 62 The footing must be firm, yet at the same time easy and springy. |
5. a. Support for the foot; surface (favourable or the contrary) for walking or standing upon.
| 1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, i. iii. 193 To o'rewalk a Current, roaring loud, On the vnstedfast footing of a Speare. 1627 May Lucan iii. 602 The Roman ships slow keel'd would firmely stand, And lend sure footing like a fight by land. 1789 F. Burney Diary 8 July, I am delighted with the soft air and soft footing upon the sands. 1810 Scott Lady of L. iv. xxi, Where scarce was footing for the goat. 1824 Heber Jrnl. (1828) II. 44 It was probable we should find safe footing. |
† b. A notch or ledge for the foot, a ‘step’.
Obs.| 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 266 We, by footings made in the rocks, descended, as we might say, down a pair of stairs. |
6. fig. Firm or secure position; established place; foothold, establishment.
| 1586 Walsingham Let. 4 Mar. in Spottiswood Hist. Ch. Scot. (1655) 361 In former times, when England had a footing in France. 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. v. xii. 407 A lie cursorily told takes little footing..in the tellers memory. 1710 Berkeley Princ. Hum. Knowl. §55 Those notions have gained but a very inconsiderable footing in the world. 1815 W. H. Ireland Scribbleomania 120 This clerical baronet has vainly endeavoured to gain a footing upon the theatrical boards. 1869 Trollope He knew xxii, She had made good her footing in her aunt's house. |
† 7. The foundation, ground, or basis on which anything rests or from which it springs.
Obs.| 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 407 All which do come altogether to utter ruine, if Purgatory decay once: but if Purgatory hold fast, then are they all of good footing. a 1617 Hieron Wks. 1619 II. 441 A thing for which we find no footing in the scripture. 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 46 This way of speaking has so good footing, that [etc.]. |
8. a. The conditions and arrangements, the understood state of things, on which an institution, etc. is established; the position or status due or assigned to a person, etc. in estimation or treatment.
on the same, on one or a footing (with): on an equality.
| 1657 Cromwell Sp. 21 Apr., I think we are now to consider, not what we are in regard to our Footing and that of the Government which called this Parliament. 1657–8 Burton's Diary (1828) II. 440 It is not long since they got the title of Lords. Anciently, all were upon one footing of account. 1741 tr. D'Argens Chinese Lett. XX. 136 They resolved to put the Chinese on the same Footing as the Dutch. 1769 Junius Lett. No. 2 (1804) I. 24 n. 2 The army..was never upon a more respectable footing with regard to discipline. 1807–8 Syd. Smith Plymley's Lett. Wks. 1859 II. 177/1 What the Catholics ask for is to be put on a footing with the Protestant Dissenters. 1818 Jas. Mill Brit. India II. v. iv. 424 Mahomed Ali was..placed upon the footing of an ally of the King of Great Britain. 1861 Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. i. (1889) 3 The eldest sons of baronets..were scarcely admitted on any other footing [than as gentlemen-commoners]. 1894 Times (weekly ed.) 9 Feb. 115/2 The Khedive..stands upon an altogether different footing from the Sultan. |
b. The ‘terms’ on which a person stands in intercourse with another; degree of intimacy or favour; relative status (as an equal, superior, or inferior).
| 1742 Fielding J. Andrews ii. iv, Horatio and Lenora were what they call on a good footing together. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. xx, I was admitted to his table upon the footing of half friend, half underling. 1796 Jane Austen Pride & Prej. v. 188 You see on what a footing we are. |
9. Entrance on a new position, etc. (in
phr. to pay for one's footing); hence, a fee demanded of a person on doing something for the first time or on being admitted to any trade, society, etc.
| 1710 Brit. Apollo III. No. 12. 2/2 Young..Sinners..not yet of Age to pay for their Footing in St. James's Park. 1777 [see chummage 2]. 1833 Marryat P. Simple vii, ‘Hand out my footing! What does he mean?’ ‘He means that you must fork out a seven-shilling bit.’ 1862 Trollope Small House at Allington ii, Mr. Crosbie..had to pay half a crown for his footing to the haymakers. |
10. The action of putting a foot to anything.
| 1805 W. Taylor in Ann. Rev. III. 65 Weaving, footing, and grafting silk stockings..are mostly performed by women. 1882 Caulfeild & Saward Dict. Needlework, Footing, a term employed in the knitting of stockings. |
11. concr. That with which something is ‘footed’.
a. Material used to ‘foot’ boots, stockings, etc.
| 1591 Percivall Sp. Dict., Cabe{cced}ado, new footings of bootes. 1707 J. Stevens Quevedo's Com. Wks. (1709) 222 It waits to be converted into Footing for Stockings. |
† b. = foot n. 10.
| 1659 Torriano, F{uacu}sto, the shank, the supporter, the stalk or footing of any thing. |
c. Lace. (See
quot. 1882.)
| 1692 Lond. Gaz. No. 2733/4 One..Petticoat, having 3 black Fringes, with Footings. 1697 Ibid. No. 3250/4, 3 yards of Silver Lace and Footing. 1869 F. B. Palliser Lace xix. 215 Château-Renaud and Mézières were chiefly employed in the manufacture of footings. 1882 Caulfeild & Saward Dict. Needlework, Footing..is used..to distinguish the edge of the Lace that is sewn to the dress from the scalloped and unattached edge. The Footing is sometimes worked with the rest of the design, and at others as a separate narrow lace, being then sewn on to the main part. |
d. A piece of hard wood dovetailed on to the pile-end of an arrow.
| 1856 H. A. Ford Archery v. 30 For footing, any hard wood will do; and if this be solid for one inch below the pile, it will be amply sufficient. 1887 W. Butt Ford's Archery iii. 37 Great care should be taken..that the footing exactly fits the pile, so as to fill entirely the inside of it. |
e. Printing, etc. (See
quots.)
| 1676 Moxon Print. Lett. 7 The Footing is the small Arches the Letter stands on, as the Arches upon the feet of Letter A is the Footing of that Letter. 1683 ― Mech. Exerc. II. 126 The Footing, is the straight fine Stroak or Stroaks that lie in the Foot-Line of Letters. |
12. Arch. A projecting course or courses at the base or foundation of a wall or other erection to give it security.
| 1703 Moxon Mech. Exerc. 255 All Walls ought to have a Basis, or Footing, at least 4 Inches on a side broader than the thickness of the Wall. 1838 Simms Pub. Wks. Gt. Brit. 25 The footings of the abutments will be 18 inches below the level. 1881 Young Every man his own mechanic §23 He should get a bricklayer to show him..how to put in the footings of his wall. |
13. A place hollowed out or otherwise prepared for receiving the foot of a timber or the like.
| 1793 Smeaton Edystone L. §88 In the center of the house a slight footing was cut for the mast, suitable to a square of 18 inches. |
14. The action of adding up a column of figures, etc.; the result thus obtained, sum total.
| 1855 H. Clarke Dict., Footing..reckoning..sum total. 1881 Chicago Times 4 June, The final footings of the debt of all cities..of the United States..were made last week. 1884 Harper's Mag. July 296/2 We could easily add twenty per cent. to the gross footings of the entire list. |
15. The action of collecting turf; also, the heaps so formed.
Sc. and
Irish dial.| 1802 Findlater Agric. Peebles 209 The peats..are placed on end three or four together, and leaning against each other; this is called footing the peats. 1825 Jamieson, Fittings, turfs set on edge. 1841 S. C. Hall Ireland (1842) II. 263 note, ‘Footing’, which means collecting the turf into parcels of about six each. 1880 Antrim & Down Gloss., Footins, small heaps of cut peat. |
16. Whale-fishing. (See
quot. 1858.)
| 1820 Scoresby Acc. Arct. Reg. II. 402 The greasy animal matter called footje or footing. 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, Footing, the finer detached fragments of the fenks, or refuse whale blubber, not wholly deprived of oil. |
17. attrib. and
Comb., as
footing-place (also
fig.);
footing-ale (see
quots.);
footing beam,
f. dormant, the tie-beam of a roof;
footing-time (
dial.), the time when a woman rises from childbed.
| 1824 Craven Dialect 75 *Footing-ale, liquor or money given by a person on entering a new employment. 1825 Jamieson, Fittin-ale, an entertainment given by parents when they have a child that taks the fit or foot, i.e., begins to walk. |
| 1842 Gwilt Encycl. Archit. Gloss., *Footing Beam, the name given, in some of the provinces, to the tie-beam of a roof. |
| 1846 Buchanan Techn. Dict., *Footing Dormant in carpentry, a name for the tie-beam of a roof. |
| 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. xii. §74 The possession of the Citie of Vannes..the English-men still kept, that..they might haue some holde and certaine *footing-place. a 1828 D. Wordsworth Tour Continent in Jrnls. (1941) II. 288 A gulph..towards the edge of which our footing-place..sloped directly. 1891 O. Wilde Intentions 26 Facts are not merely finding a footing-place in history, but they are usurping the domain of Fancy. |
| 1674 Ray S. & E.C. Words 66 *Footing time, Norf. is the same with upsetting time in Yorksh. when the Puerpera gets up. |