hoof

[ hoo f, hoof ]
/ hʊf, huf /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR hoof ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural hoofs or hooves for 1, 2, 4; hoof for 3.

the horny covering protecting the ends of the digits or encasing the foot in certain animals, as the ox and horse.
the entire foot of a horse, donkey, etc.
Older Use. a hoofed animal, especially one of a herd.
Informal. the human foot.

verb (used with object)

Slang. to walk (often followed by it): Let's hoof it to the supermarket.

verb (used without object)

Slang. to dance, especially to tap-dance: He's been hoofing at the Palladium.

Idioms for hoof plural hoof.

    on the hoof, (of livestock) not butchered; live: The city youngsters were seeing lambs on the hoof for the first time.

Origin of hoof

before 1000; Middle English (noun); Old English hōf; cognate with Old Frisian hōf, Dutch hoef, German Huf, Old Norse hōfr; compare Sanskrit śaphas

OTHER WORDS FROM hoof

hoof·i·ness, noun hoof·less, adjective hoof·like, adjective

Words nearby hoof

hoodman-blind, hoodoo, hoodooism, hoodwink, hooey, hoof, hoof it, hoof-and-mouth disease, hoofbeat, hoofbound, hoofed

Words related to hoof it

disco, waltz, rock, samba, tango, sashay, swagger, gambol, strut, trek, run, parade, lead, trudge, hike, saunter, stride, step, race, escort

British Dictionary definitions for hoof it

hoof
/ (huːf) /

noun plural hooves (huːvz) or hoofs

verb

(tr) to kick or trample with the hoofs
hoof it slang
  1. to walk
  2. to dance

Derived forms of hoof

hoofless, adjective hooflike, adjective

Word Origin for hoof

Old English hōf; related to Old Norse hōfr, Old High German huof (German Huf), Sanskrit saphás

Idioms and Phrases with hoof it

hoof it
1

Go on foot, as in The car's being repaired—we'll have to hoof it. [First half of 1600s]

2

Dance, as in He was always a good dancer, and he's still able to hoof it. [Slang; 1920s]