barefoot

From Middle English barefote, barfot, from Old English bærfōt (“barefoot”), from Proto-Germanic *bazafōts (“barefoot”) equivalent to bare +‎ foot. Cognate with Scots barefit (“barefoot”), Old Frisian berfōt ("barefoot"; modern Saterland Frisian boarfouts (“barefoot”, adverb)), Dutch barrevoets (“barefoot”, adverb), German barfuß (“barefoot”), Danish barfodet (“barefoot”), Swedish barfota (“barefoot”, adverb), Icelandic berfættur (“barefoot”), Yiddish באָרוועס‎ (borves, “barefoot”).

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈbɛɹfʊt/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈbɛəfʊt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: barefoot

barefoot (not comparable)

barefoot (1)

1. Wearing nothing on the feet.

   After taking off their shoes, socks and sandals at the doorway, the kids were barefoot.

   • 1610-11, William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act II Scene 2

     CALIBAN:

     [...]

     His spirits hear me,

     And yet I needs must curse. But they'll nor pinch

     Fright me with urchin-shows, pitch me i'th' mire,

     Nor lead me like a firebrand in the dark

     Out of my way, unless he bid 'em; but

     For every trifle are they set upon me,

     Sometimes like apes that now and chatter at me,

     And after bite me; then like hedgehogs, which

     Lie tumbling in my barefoot way, and mount

     Their pricks at my footfall; sometimes am I

     All wound with adders, who with their cloven tongues

     Do hiss me into madness—

     [...]

2. (colloquial, of a vehicle on an icy road) not using snow chains.

• barefooted, discalced, shoeless, unshod, unshoed

barefoot (not comparable)

1. Wearing nothing on the feet.

   She likes to go barefoot in the summertime.

• barefooting
• the shoemaker's children go barefoot