footing

plural footings

1. countableuncountableA ground for the foot; place for the foot to rest on; firm foundation to stand on.

   In ascents, every step gained is a footing and help to the next.

   1669, William Holder, Elements of Speech: An Essay of Inquiry into the Natural Production of Letters: […], London: […] T. N[ewcomb] for J[ohn] Martyn printer to the R[oyal] Society, […], →OCLC

2. countableuncountableA standing; position; established place; foothold.

   As soon, however, as he had obtained a footing at court, the charms of his manner […] made him a favorite.

   1849, Thomas Babington Macaulay, The History of England from the Accession of James II, volume II, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC

   1 more example

   While the California economy maintains its powerhouse status[…] the state’s most-powerful sectors[…]have struggled to keep their footing, pummeled by high interest rates, investor skittishness, labor strife and other turmoil.

   2023 April 11, Kurtis Lee, “California Economy Is on Edge After Tech Layoffs and Studio Cutbacks”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

3. countableuncountableA relative condition; state.

   [L]ived on a footing of equality with nobles.

   1856 December, [Thomas Babington] Macaulay, “Samuel Johnson”, in T[homas] F[lower] E[llis], editor, The Miscellaneous Writings and Speeches of Lord Macaulay, new edition, London: Longman, Green, Reader, & Dyer, published 1871, →OCLC

4. countabledateduncountableA tread; step; especially, a measured tread.

   Hark, I hear the footing of a man.

   c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)

5. countablerareuncountableA footprint or footprints; tracks, someone's trail.

   The Monster swift as word, that from her went, Went forth in hast, and did her footing trace[…].

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto VII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC

   2 more examples

   A man must doe as some wilde beasts, which at the entrance of their caves, will have no manner of footing seene.

   1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 38, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC

   So he marched his army along the river with seven legions, little less than four thousand horse, and as many light-armed soldiers, and the scouts returning declared that not one man appeared, but that they saw the footing of a great many horses which seemed to be retiring in flight, whereupon Crassus conceived great hopes, and the Romans began to despise the Parthians, as men that would not come to combat, hand to hand.

   1683, John Dryden, transl., Plutarch's Lives: Life of Crassus, translation of original by Plutarch

6. countableuncountableStability or balance when standing on one's feet.

   He lost his footing and fell down.

   2 more examples

   It was difficult to keep my footing on the ship during the storm.

   Terry lost his footing to allow Van Persie to race clear for Arsenal's fourth after 85 minutes before the Netherlands striker completed a second treble against Chelsea by hammering his third past Petr Cech deep into stoppage time.

   2011 October 29, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal”, in BBC Sport

7. broadlycountableuncountableMental stability or balance.

   It's a lot for anybody to go through. But, while the others took weeks - hell, even months - to get used to everything, myself included, you found your footing in a matter of days.

   2026 June 19, Gooseworx, “Remember” (5:03 from the start), in The Amazing Digital Circus, episode 9, spoken by Kinger (Sean Chiplock)

8. countableuncountableThe act of adding up a column of figures; the amount or sum total of such a column.

   The auditing of the accounts, when the defendant was present, was nothing more than the examinings of the footings of the bookkeeper.

   1866, Francis A. Corliss, Supreme Court, County of New York, page 111

9. countableuncountableThe act of putting a foot to anything; also, that which is added as a foot

   the footing of a stocking

10. countableuncountableFoundation or basis for further advancement or development.

    The subsidy gives the organization a firm footing.

    Synonyms: rootstock

11. countableuncountableA narrow cotton lace, without figures.
12. countableuncountableThe finer refuse part of whale blubber, not wholly deprived of oil.
13. countableuncountablearchitectureThe thickened or sloping portion of a wall, or of an embankment at its foot; foundation.
14. countableuncountableaccountingA double-check of the numbers vertically.

1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of foot