Hotfooting: meaning, definitions and examples
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hotfooting
[ ˈhɒtˌfʊtɪŋ ]
moving quickly
To hotfoot means to hurry or rush, often to escape someone or something. The term suggests a sense of urgency and quick movement, usually involving running or brisk walking.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- I had to hotfoot it to my meeting after being stuck in traffic.
- When the sun began to set, we hotfooted it back to the campsite.
- She hotfooted out of the office as soon as the clock struck five.
Translations
Translations of the word "hotfooting" in other languages:
🇵🇹 fugir rapidamente
🇮🇳 जल्दी भागना
🇩🇪 fliehen
🇮🇩 melarikan diri
🇺🇦 швидко втекти
🇵🇱 uciekać szybko
🇯🇵 急いで逃げる
🇫🇷 fuir rapidement
🇪🇸 huir rápidamente
🇹🇷 hızla kaçmak
🇰🇷 급히 도망치다
🇸🇦 الهروب بسرعة
🇨🇿 rychle utéct
🇸🇰 rýchlo utiecť
🇨🇳 快速逃跑
🇸🇮 hitro pobegniti
🇮🇸 flýja hratt
🇰🇿 жылдам қашу
🇬🇪 სწრაფად გაქცევა
🇦🇿 tez qaçmaq
🇲🇽 huir rápidamente
Word origin
The term 'hotfoot' originated in the United States and is thought to have first appeared in the late 19th century. It combines 'hot', meaning fast or intense, and 'foot', referring to the act of walking or running. The imagery conveys a sense of urgency, as if one's feet are so hot they cannot stay in one place for long. Over time, 'hotfooting' evolved from a physical description of speed into a metaphorical expression for any kind of hurried circumstance, maintaining its informal tone. The expression encapsulates the idea of quick action often taken in response to an urgent need or threat.
Word Frequency Rank
With rank #43,014, this word is among the least frequently used in common English. Understanding it can be beneficial for comprehensive language mastery, but it's not essential for most learners.