foot-path, footpath
(ˈfʊtpɑːθ, -æ-)
1. a. A path for foot-passengers only.
| 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 141 Lyke as the fote path or waye ledeth to the cite. 1605 Shakes. Lear iv. i. 58 Glou. Know'st thou the way to Douer? Edg. Both style, and gate; Horseway, and foot-path. 1786 Burns Brigs of Ayr 100 Your poor, narrow foot-path of a street. 1842 Mrs. Carlyle Lett. I. 156 A foot-path about half-a-yard wide..cuts across the bit of green field. |
| fig. 1535 Coverdale Ps. cxviii. [cxix.] 15, I wil..haue respecte vnto thy fotepathes. |
b. A pavement.
| 1813 J. Lambert Trav. N. Amer. (ed. 2) II. 56 The street [sc. Broadway, New York] is well paved, and the foot-paths are chiefly bricked. 1908 Westm. Gaz. 21 Sept. 8/3 His car struck the footpath-face..and the car staggered badly on the road. 1943 K. Tennant Ride on Stranger vi. 50 The city swarm poured over the footpaths and across the taxi's front wheels. |
† 2. ? A pedestal.
Obs.| 1580 Eccl. Proc. Bp. Barnes (Surtees) 128 There remaneth in the quere certayne corbile stones which were some time fotte pathes for images. |
3. attrib.| 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. iv. iii. 132 Jog-on, Jog-on, the foot⁓path way, And merrily hent the Stile-a. 1892 Daily News 15 Feb. 5/1 The National Footpath Preservation Society. |
Hence
ˈfootpath v. trans., to make a footpath or footpaths across.
| 1844 Mrs. Browning Drama of Exile Poet. Wks. 1889 I. 81 This shall..Turn back your rivers, footpath all your seas. |