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Meaning & use

fleet of foot

phrase·Advancedliteraryapproving

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UK/ˌfliːt əv ˈfʊt/
US/ˌfliːt əv ˈfʊt/

Meanings

  1. phraseidiomliteraryapproving

    Able to run or move quickly and lightly on your feet.

    Grammar: Used after be or before as a descriptive phrase: the deer was fleet of foot.

    Patterns

    • be fleet of foot
    • fleet of foot and something

    The young deer was fleet of foot and vanished into the trees.

    She was a fleet of foot winger who could outrun any defender.

    You have to be fleet of foot to catch a bus in this city at rush hour.

  2. phraseidiomfigurative

    Quick and nimble in dealing with changing situations, able to react fast.

    Grammar: Figurative use about people or organizations: a business that is fleet of foot.

    Patterns

    • stay fleet of foot

    Small companies tend to be fleet of foot when markets shift suddenly.

    The negotiator stayed fleet of foot and adapted to every new demand.

    Successful politicians must be fleet of foot in a crisis.

Common combinations

fleet of foot and mind
The detective was fleet of foot and mind.
remain fleet of foot
The team had to remain fleet of foot.
fleet of foot runner
A fleet of foot runner led the pack.
surprisingly fleet of foot
The big goalkeeper was surprisingly fleet of foot.

Synonyms and how they differ

nimble
Nimble stresses quick, light movement and cleverness, and works for hands, fingers and minds, whereas fleet of foot focuses on running speed.
swift
Swift emphasizes speed alone and can describe anything fast, while fleet of foot is specific to legs and has a poetic tone.
agile
Agile means able to move easily and change direction, with less focus on raw speed.
quick
Quick is the plain everyday word and can describe any fast action, while fleet of foot is more descriptive and literary.

Opposites

slowlumberingheavy-footed

Word family

fleet adjective
fast and nimble, in a literary sense
fleetness noun
the quality of being fast and light
fleetly adverb
quickly and lightly
fleeting adjective
lasting a very short time

Commonly confused: fleet of foot or fleet?

fleet of foot vs fleet

A fleet is also a group of ships or vehicles, which is the more common meaning. In fleet of foot, fleet means fast.

Practice

The young goalkeeper was surprisingly ___, darting across the area to stop every shot.

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