footsie: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
lowinformal, colloquial
Quick answer
What does “footsie” mean?
A playful, often flirtatious, touching of someone's feet with one's own under a table.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A playful, often flirtatious, touching of someone's feet with one's own under a table.
Informal, often secretive, negotiations, interactions, or collusion between parties, particularly in business or politics.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major lexical or grammatical differences. The metaphorical business/political sense is slightly more prevalent in AmE news reporting.
Connotations
Childish playfulness in the literal sense; covert or unethical dealings in the metaphorical sense.
Frequency
Low frequency in both, but the word is readily understood.
Grammar
How to Use “footsie” in a Sentence
[Subject] plays footsie with [Object] (under the table).Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “footsie” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They were footsying under the pub table.
American English
- The lobbyists are footsying with lawmakers again.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used critically to describe companies or regulators being overly cozy, e.g., 'The regulator was accused of playing footsie with the industry.'
Academic
Rarely, if ever, used in formal academic writing.
Everyday
Used humorously or descriptively for flirtatious behaviour in social situations.
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “footsie”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “footsie”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “footsie”
- Using it in formal contexts.
- Confusing it with 'footsie' as a nickname for the FTSE stock index.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is an informal but established word in English dictionaries.
Yes, it is often used metaphorically to describe suspiciously close or covert dealings in business or politics.
The literal meaning can have a playful, slightly childish connotation, but the metaphorical use is more serious and critical.
They are homophones. 'Footsie' is the informal word for flirtatious touching or covert dealings. 'FTSE' (pronounced 'footsie') is a UK stock market index.
A playful, often flirtatious, touching of someone's feet with one's own under a table.
Footsie is usually informal, colloquial in register.
Footsie: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfʊtsi/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfʊtsi/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “play footsie with someone/something”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'foot' + the diminutive '-sie' (like 'patsy' or 'pixie'), suggesting a small, cute, playful action involving feet.
Conceptual Metaphor
COVERT COOPERATION IS PLAYFUL PHYSICAL CONTACT.
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common meaning of 'play footsie' in an everyday context?