flatfooted

See also: flat-footed

English

Etymology

From flat +‎ footed.

Adjective

flatfooted (comparative more flatfooted, superlative most flatfooted)

1. Having flat feet.
   • 2011, Peg Tittle -, Critical Thinking: An Appeal to Reason, →ISBN:

     Most small children are flatfooted.

2. Blunt and unsubtle; lacking finesse.
   • 1956, United States. Congress. House. Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, Advertising of Alcoholic Beverages:

     If that is not a flatfooted disregard of what this committee said was bad taste, I do not know what it is.

   • 2010, Chris Lewit -, Tennis Technique Bible Volume One, →ISBN, page 20:

     I have many top ranked sectional and national level kids come to my program and I cannot even believe how flatfooted they are—not because they lack the talent—simply because no coach ever demanded the extra footwork effort from them.

   • 2010, Scott Aikin, Epistemology and the Regress Problem, →ISBN:

     This flatfooted sketch of how experience provides us with reasons has two nodes.

   • 2011, Emily W. Leider, Myrna Loy: The Only Good Girl in Hollywood, →ISBN:

     It's contrived and flatfooted, and neither Loy nor Powell enjoyed making it, despite its bang-up finale: a free-for-all wedding featuring two brides (Margit and Irene), two grooms, a confused preacher, quite a few drunks from the bar next door, and a maximum of conmmotion -- all crammed into Charlie's tiny trailer in a Capra-esque crowd scene.

Translations

having flat feet — see flat-footed

unprepared — see flat-footed

Adverb

flatfooted (comparative more flatfooted, superlative most flatfooted)

1. Unprepared to respond; unready.

   They were caught flatfooted when Clancy filed to enter the race.

   • 2010, Tami Hoag, Deeper than the Dead, →ISBN:

     Caught mentally flatfooted, Anne couldn't think of a response.

   • 2011, David D. Corbett, Portfolio Life: The New Path to Work, Purpose, and Passion After 50, →ISBN:

     No one should be caught flatfooted by the lengthening of middle age

   • 2014, Luke Patey, The New Kings of Crude, →ISBN:

     In contrast, as the crisis unfolded, India stood flatfooted, only reacting after the damage was done.

2. Putting the entire foot down at once, rather than landing on the ball of the foot and then lowering the rest of the foot.
   • 1980, Peter Hellman, Avenue of the Righteous, page 82:

     "He claimed that Jews walk flatfooted like a camel— including me.

   • 1988, Carmen Tabije Andin, Teaching Physical Education in Philippine Schools, →ISBN, page 147:

     Hit take-off board flatfooted in a hard stamp; take-off feet under body with slight dip at knee.

3. With one's feet flat on the ground.
   • 2010, F. Paul Wilson, The Touch: Book III of the Adversary Cycle, →ISBN:

     The figure came up and squatted flatfooted on his haunches next to Patsy.

4. (of drinking) Without pausing between swallows.
   • 1952, William T. Campbell, Big Beverage, page 269:

     Proficient drinkers could spill out an ounce, or an ounce and a half, or two, from the neck of a Solo Soda bottle in the dark, measured to the very dram, refill it with corn whisky, turn it upside down with the thumb placed carefully over the bottle's lip— for a good mix, and luck— and drink it down, flatfooted.

Verb

flatfooted

1. simple past and past participle of flatfoot