under foot
 在腳底,在地面


 Un·der prep.
 1. Below or lower, in place or position, with the idea of being covered; lower than; beneath; -- opposed to over; as, he stood under a tree; the carriage is under cover; a cellar extends under the whole house.
    Fruit put in bottles, and the bottles let down into wells under water, will keep long.   --Bacon.
 Be gathered now, ye waters under heaven,
 Into one place.   --Milton.
 2. Hence, in many figurative uses which may be classified as follows; --
 (a) Denoting relation to some thing or person that is superior, weighs upon, oppresses, bows down, governs, directs, influences powerfully, or the like, in a relation of subjection, subordination, obligation, liability, or the like; as, to travel under a heavy load; to live under extreme oppression; to have fortitude under the evils of life; to have patience under pain, or under misfortunes; to behave like a Christian under reproaches and injuries; under the pains and penalties of the law; the condition under which one enters upon an office; under the necessity of obeying the laws; under vows of chastity.
    Both Jews and Gentiles . . . are all under sin.   --Rom. iii. 9.
 That led the embattled seraphim to war
 Under thy conduct.   --Milton.
 Who have their provand
 Only for bearing burdens, and sore blows
 For sinking under them.   --Shak.
 (b) Denoting relation to something that exceeds in rank or degree, in number, size, weight, age, or the like; in a relation of the less to the greater, of inferiority, or of falling short.
    Three sons he dying left under age.   --Spenser.
    Medicines take effect sometimes under, and sometimes above, the natural proportion of their virtue.   --Hooker.
    There are several hundred parishes in England under twenty pounds a year.   --Swift.
    It was too great an honor for any man under a duke.   --Addison.
 Note: ☞ Hence, it sometimes means at, with, or for, less than; as, he would not sell the horse under sixty dollars.
    Several young men could never leave the pulpit under half a dozen conceits.   --Swift.
 (c) Denoting relation to something that comprehends or includes, that represents or designates, that furnishes a cover, pretext, pretense, or the like; as, he betrayed him under the guise of friendship; Morpheus is represented under the figure of a boy asleep.
 A crew who, under names of old renown . . . abused
 Fanatic Egypt.   --Milton.
    Mr. Duke may be mentioned under the double capacity of a poet and a divine.   --Felton.
    Under this head may come in the several contests and wars betwixt popes and the secular princes.   --C. Leslie.
 (d) Less specifically, denoting the relation of being subject, of undergoing regard, treatment, or the like; as, a bill under discussion.
 Abject and lost, lay these, covering the flood,
 Under amazement of their hideous change.   --Milton.
 Under arms. Mil. (a) Drawn up fully armed and equipped. (b) Enrolled for military service; as, the state has a million men under arms.
 Under canvas. (a) Naut. Moved or propelled by sails; -- said of any vessel with her sail set, but especially of a steamer using her sails only, as distinguished from one under steam. Under steam and canvas signifies that a vessel is using both means of propulsion. (b) Mil. Provided with, or sheltered in, tents.
 Under fire, exposed to an enemy's fire; taking part in a battle or general engagement.
 Under foot. See under Foot, n.
 Under ground, below the surface of the ground.
 Under one's signature, with one's signature or name subscribed; attested or confirmed by one's signature.  Cf. the second Note under Over, prep.
 Under sail. Naut. (a) With anchor up, and under the influence of sails; moved by sails; in motion. (b) With sails set, though the anchor is down. (c) Same as Under canvas (a), above. --Totten.
 Under sentence, having had one's sentence pronounced.
 Under the breath, Under one's breath, with low voice; very softly.
 Under the lee Naut., to the leeward; as, under the lee of the land.
 Under the gun. Under psychological pressure, such as the need to meet a pressing deadline; feeling pressured
 Under water, below the surface of the water.
 Under way, or Under weigh Naut., in a condition to make progress; having started.


 Un·der·foot adv. Under the feet; underneath; below. See Under foot, under Foot, n.


 Foot n.; pl. Feet
 1. Anat. The terminal part of the leg of man or an animal; esp., the part below the ankle or wrist; that part of an animal upon which it rests when standing, or moves. See Manus, and Pes.
 2. Zool. The muscular locomotive organ of a mollusk. It is a median organ arising from the ventral region of body, often in the form of a flat disk, as in snails. See Illust. of Buccinum.
 3. That which corresponds to the foot of a man or animal; as, the foot of a table; the foot of a stocking.
 4. The lowest part or base; the ground part; the bottom, as of a mountain, column, or page; also, the last of a row or series; the end or extremity, esp. if associated with inferiority; as, the foot of a hill; the foot of the procession; the foot of a class; the foot of the bed; ; the foot of the page.
 And now at foot
 Of heaven's ascent they lift their feet.   --Milton.
 5. Fundamental principle; basis; plan; -- used only in the singular.
    Answer directly upon the foot of dry reason.   --Berkeley.
 6. Recognized condition; rank; footing; -- used only in the singular. [R.]
    As to his being on the foot of a servant.   --Walpole.
 7. A measure of length equivalent to twelve inches; one third of a yard. See Yard.
 Note: ☞ This measure is supposed to be taken from the length of a man's foot. It differs in length in different countries. In the United States and in England it is 304.8 millimeters.
 8. Mil. Soldiers who march and fight on foot; the infantry, usually designated as the foot, in distinction from the cavalry. “Both horse and foot.”
 9. Pros. A combination of syllables consisting a metrical element of a verse, the syllables being formerly distinguished by their quantity or length, but in modern poetry by the accent.
 10. Naut. The lower edge of a sail.
 Note: ☞ Foot is often used adjectively, signifying of or pertaining to a foot or the feet, or to the base or lower part. It is also much used as the first of compounds.
  Foot artillery. Mil. (a) Artillery soldiers serving in foot. (b) Heavy artillery. --Farrow.
 Foot bank Fort., a raised way within a parapet.
 Foot barracks Mil., barracks for infantery.
 Foot bellows, a bellows worked by a treadle. --Knight.
 Foot company Mil., a company of infantry. --Milton.
 Foot gear, covering for the feet, as stocking, shoes, or boots.
 Foot hammer Mach., a small tilt hammer moved by a treadle.
 Foot iron. (a) The step of a carriage. (b) A fetter.
 Foot jaw. Zool. See Maxilliped.
 Foot key Mus., an organ pedal.
 Foot level Gunnery, a form of level used in giving any proposed angle of elevation to a piece of ordnance. --Farrow.
 Foot mantle, a long garment to protect the dress in riding; a riding skirt. [Obs.]
 Foot page, an errand boy; an attendant. [Obs.]
 Foot passenger, one who passes on foot, as over a road or bridge.
 Foot pavement, a paved way for foot passengers; a footway; a trottoir.
 Foot poet, an inferior poet; a poetaster. [R.] --Dryden.
 Foot post. (a) A letter carrier who travels on foot. (b) A mail delivery by means of such carriers.
 Fot pound, ∧ Foot poundal. Mech. See Foot pound and Foot poundal, in the Vocabulary.
 Foot press Mach., a cutting, embossing, or printing press, moved by a treadle.
 Foot race, a race run by persons on foot. --Cowper.
 Foot rail, a railroad rail, with a wide flat flange on the lower side.
 Foot rot, an ulcer in the feet of sheep; claw sickness.
 Foot rule, a rule or measure twelve inches long.
 Foot screw, an adjusting screw which forms a foot, and serves to give a machine or table a level standing on an uneven place.
 Foot secretion. Zool. See Sclerobase.
 Foot soldier, a soldier who serves on foot.
 Foot stick Printing, a beveled piece of furniture placed against the foot of the page, to hold the type in place.
 Foot stove, a small box, with an iron pan, to hold hot coals for warming the feet.
 Foot tubercle. Zool. See Parapodium.
 Foot valve Steam Engine, the valve that opens to the air pump from the condenser.
 Foot vise, a kind of vise the jaws of which are operated by a treadle.
 Foot waling Naut., the inside planks or lining of a vessel over the floor timbers. --Totten.
 Foot wall Mining, the under wall of an inclosed vein.
  By foot, or On foot, by walking; as, to pass a stream on foot.
 Cubic foot. See under Cubic.
 Foot and mouth disease, a contagious disease (Eczema epizoötica) of cattle, sheep, swine, etc., characterized by the formation of vesicles and ulcers in the mouth and about the hoofs.
 Foot of the fine Law, the concluding portion of an acknowledgment in court by which, formerly, the title of land was conveyed. See Fine of land, under Fine, n.; also Chirograph. (b).
 Square foot. See under Square.
 To be on foot, to be in motion, action, or process of execution.
 To keep the foot Script., to preserve decorum. “Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God.” --Eccl. v. 1.
 To put one's foot down, to take a resolute stand; to be determined. [Colloq.]
 To put the best foot foremost, to make a good appearance; to do one's best. [Colloq.]
 To set on foot, to put in motion; to originate; as, to set on foot a subscription.
 To put one on his feet, or set one on his feet, to put one in a position to go on; to assist to start.
 Under foot. (a) Under the feet; (Fig.) at one's mercy; as, to trample under foot. --Gibbon. (b) Below par. [Obs.] “They would be forced to sell . . . far under foot.” --Bacon.