bigfoot

bigfoot (third-person singular simple present bigfoots, present participle bigfooting, simple past and past participle bigfooted)

1. (transitive, informal, sometimes capitalized) To control or manage forcefully; to exercise authority over.
   • 1997, Jill Smolowe et al., "AT&T Unplugs a CEO-To-Be," Time, 28 July:

     Most recently, Allen bigfooted Walter out of the way to explore a merger with SBC Communications, Inc., the largest of the regional Bells.

   • 2002, Joanne Wasserman and Alison Gendar, "School Chief Seeks No. 2," New York Daily News, 7 Aug. (retrieved 27 May 2009):

     "Joel is out to get the best and brightest. It is his team to build," Walcott said, his comments appearing to reject speculation that Bloomberg was bigfooting the deputy search.

   • 2008, Howard Kurtz, "Wardrobe Wars," Washington Post, 26 Feb. (retrieved 27 May 2009):

     Clinton is a terrible manager of people. . . . Her White House, if we can glean anything from the campaign, would be a secretive nest of well-fed yes-people, an uncontrollable egomaniac spouse able and willing to bigfoot anyone if he wants to . . . and a drizzle of dreary hacks.

2. (intransitive, informal, sometimes capitalized) To behave in an authoritative, commanding manner.
   • 2006, Ron Suskind, "FRONTLINE: News War Interviews," PBS.com, 26 July (retrieved 27 May 2009):

     Later, Dick Cheney was Bigfooting around the West Wing, looking for heads.

• (control or manage forcefully): push around
• (behave in an authoritative manner): pull the strings, swagger