wrongfoot
wrongfoot Lexical Profile
wrongfoot Game Scores & Validity
• verb
British To catch someone off guard or place them in a difficult, unprepared, or embarrassing situation through an unexpected action or question.
"The candidate was momentarily wrongfooted by the reporter's pointed question about the budget deficit."
British To play a shot or make a move that catches an opponent off balance with their weight on the wrong foot (in sports such as tennis, soccer, or cricket).
"The striker's sudden change of direction completely wrongfooted the goalkeeper."
Word Nuance & Usage
Also commonly spelled with a hyphen as "wrong-foot," this verb is predominantly used in British English and often appears in the passive voice (to be wrongfooted).
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the early 20th century from tennis and football terminology, referring to playing a shot that catches an opponent with their weight on the wrong foot.