The governor issued a flat-footed denial of the accusation.
He came out flat-footed against the idea.
The teacher's question caught Tim flat-footed.
Unexpected company at lunch time caught Mrs. Green flat-footed.
Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань". Оригинал: A.Маккей, М.Т.Боткер, Дж.И.Гейтс. 1997.
flat-footed — [flat′foot΄id] adj. 1. having flatfoot 2. designating a manner of walking, with the toes pointed outward, as by people with flatfoot ☆ 3. Informal downright and firm; plain and uncompromising 4. Informal … Universalium
Flat-footed — Flat foot ed, a. 1. Having a flat foot, with little or no arch of the instep; suffering from fallen arches. [WordNet sense 3] [1913 Webster] 2. Firm footed; determined. [Slang, U.S.] [1913 Webster] 3. clumsy; amateurish; pedestrian;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
flat-footed — adj 1.) having flat feet 2.) informal moving in an awkward way = ↑clumsy ▪ The defence looked flat footed as Sutton scored easily. 3.) catch sb flat footed AmE to surprise someone so that they cannot do something in the way they ought to = ↑catch … Dictionary of contemporary English
flat-footed — [flat′foot΄id] adj. 1. having flatfoot 2. designating a manner of walking, with the toes pointed outward, as by people with flatfoot ☆ 3. Informal downright and firm; plain and uncompromising 4. Informal a) awkward or clumsy b) tedious, plodding … English World dictionary
flat-footed — c.1600, with flat feet; meaning unprepared is from 1912, U.S. baseball slang, on notion of not on one s toes; earlier in U.S. colloquial use it meant straightforwardly, downright (1828), from notion of standing firmly … Etymology dictionary
flat-footed — ► ADJECTIVE 1) having flat feet. 2) informal clumsy … English terms dictionary
flat-footed — 1) ADJ GRADED: v link ADJ, ADJ n, ADJ after v If you are flat footed, the arches of your feet are too low. All babies look flat footed and when they walk the whole sole touches the ground... He ll grow up flat footed. 2) ADJ GRADED: ADJ n, v link … English dictionary
flat-footed — {adj.}, {informal} 1. Straightforward; forthright; direct; outright. * /The governor issued a flat footed denial of the accusation./ * /He came out flat footed against the idea./ 2. Not ready; not prepared; usually used with catch . * /The… … Dictionary of American idioms
flat-footed — {adj.}, {informal} 1. Straightforward; forthright; direct; outright. * /The governor issued a flat footed denial of the accusation./ * /He came out flat footed against the idea./ 2. Not ready; not prepared; usually used with catch . * /The… … Dictionary of American idioms
flat-footed — I. adjective Date: 1601 1. affected with flatfoot; broadly walking with a dragging or shambling gait 2. a. firm and well balanced on the feet b. free from reservation ; forthright < had an honest flat footed way of saying a thing > 3. not ready … New Collegiate Dictionary
