first-foot

[ furst-foo t ]
/ ˈfɜrstˈfʊt /
Scot.

noun Also first-foot·er.

the first person to cross the threshold of a house on New Year's Day.
the first person met after starting out on the day of an important occasion.

verb (used with object)

to enter (a house) first on New Year's Day.

verb (used without object)

to be the first to enter a house on New Year's Day.

Origin of first-foot

First recorded in 1880–85

Words nearby first-foot

first-day cover, first-degree, first-degree burn, first-degree murder, first-dollar coverage, first-foot, first-generation, first-hand, first-in, first-out, first-line, first-loss policy

Example sentences from the Web for first-foot

British Dictionary definitions for first-foot

first-foot
/ mainly Scot /

noun Also: first-footer

the first person to enter a household in the New Year. By Hogmanay tradition a dark-haired man who crosses the threshold at midnight brings good luck

verb

to enter (a house) as first-foot

Derived forms of first-foot

first-footing, noun