Meanings
present singular third person pussyfoots · participle present pussyfooting · participle past pussyfooted · past pussyfooted
- intransitiveTo move silently, stealthily, or furtively.
- intransitiveTo act timidly or cautiously.
The TSSA union said the Government should "stop pussyfooting around" and place Euston at the heart of the transformative rail project.
2023 April 5, “Network News: NAO: Use HS2 Euston pause to put project on a stable footing”, in RAIL, number 980, page 131 more example
— So are you going to practice what you’re preaching and stop pussyfooting around with Faye? — Hey, I’m 0 for 1 when it comes to practicing what I preach. These feet stay pussied for the time being.
2004, Jeph Jacques, Fripp and Eno - intransitiveTo use euphemistic language or circumlocution.
"Then you talk up! And plain! What's there to be so pussyfooting about?"
1946, Tennessee Williams, The Unsatisfactory SupperSynonyms: pollyfox
plural pussyfoots
- countabledatedA teetotaller.
"We keep off that road like a pussyfoot keeps off whiskey. Get it out of your bean that we're exploring a deserted ruin."
1930, Sax Rohmer, The Day the World Ended, published 1969, page xi. 103
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo use euphemistic language or circumlocution.
nounSynonym of bluemink (“Ageratum houstonianum”).
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
From pussy (“feline”) + foot; because of the light and careful tread of cats.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian промъквам се тихо, действам предпазливо
- промъквам се тихо (promăkvam se tiho)to move silently
- действам предпазливо (dejstvam predpazlivo)to act timidly
Czech opatrně našlapovat, jednat příliš opatrně
- opatrně našlapovatto move silently
- jednat příliš opatrněto act timidly
Dutch sluipen, trippelen
- sluipento move silently
- trippelento move silently
- treuzelento act timidly
- schoonsprekento use euphemistic language
Finnish hiipiä, hipsutella
- hiipiäto move silently
- hipsutellato move silently
- hipsiäto move silently
- arastellato act timidly
- hissutellato act timidly
- sievistelläto use euphemistic language
- hyssytelläto use euphemistic language
German trippeln, auf Zehenspitzen gehen
- trippelnto move silently
- auf Zehenspitzen gehento move silently
- schleichento move silently
- herumschleichento move silently
- leisetretento move silently
- um den heißen Brei schleichento act timidly
- leisetretento act timidly
- um den heißen Brei herumredento use euphemistic language
Norwegian gå på gummisåler, gå på gummisåler
- gå på gummisålerto act timidly
- gå på gummisålerto use euphemistic language
- skjønnmaleto use euphemistic language
Swedish tassa, smyga
- tassato move silently
- smygato move silently
- trippato move silently
- fegato act timidly
- fjompato act timidly
- skönmålato use euphemistic language
- omskrivato use euphemistic language
- omformulerato use euphemistic language
Cite this entry
pussyfoot. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pussyfoot
“pussyfoot.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pussyfoot. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pussyfoot,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pussyfoot.
Source: pussyfoot on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.