afoot
afoot Lexical Profile
afoot Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
In preparation or progress; happening or beginning to happen.
"Major organizational changes are afoot at the publishing house."
Moving or traveling on foot rather than in a vehicle or on horseback; walking.
"With the mountain pass blocked by snow, the rangers were soon afoot."
• adverb
By walking rather than riding or driving; on foot.
"We left our bicycles at the trailhead and traveled afoot through the dense forest."
In active existence, operation, or circulation.
"A bold new initiative was set afoot by the city council."
Word Nuance & Usage
As an adjective, 'afoot' is strictly predicative (or postpositive) and cannot be placed directly before a noun (e.g., one says 'plans are afoot', never 'afoot plans').
• Rhymes for afoot
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'on fote' and 'afote', formed from the Old English preposition 'on' (reduced to the prefix 'a-') combined with 'fōt' ('foot').