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/
• (obsolete) IPA^(key): /ˈbɑːɹfʊt/, /ˈbæɹfʊt/^[1]

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: barefoot

barefoot (not comparable)

1. Wearing nothing on the feet.

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

   • 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 9, column 1:

     [L]ike Hedg-hogs vvhich / Lye tumbling in my bare-foote vvay, and mount / Their pricks at my foot-fall: ſometime am I / All vvound vvith Adders, vvho vvith clouen tongues / Doe hiſſe me into madneſſe: […]

   • 1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 60:

     It was firm enough to walk on, but Bradly took off his boots to preserve the leather from sea-water, and for the pleasure of barefoot walking on cool sand.

2. (informal) Of a vehicle on an icy road: not using snow chains.
3. (CB radio, slang) Transmitting without the use of an amplifier.

• barefooted, discalced, shoeless, unshod, unshoed

barefoot (not comparable)

1. Wearing nothing on the feet.

   She likes to go barefoot in the summertime.

   • 2007, Andy Mangels, Michael A. Martin, Star Trek: Enterprise: The Good That Men Do:

     Ignoring the familiar discomfort, he padded barefoot across the thick white carpet toward the heavy curtains that lined the richly appointed bedroom’s wide transparisteel window.

2. (CB radio slang) Transmitting without the use of an amplifier.

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