plural hotfoots
: a practical joke in which a match is surreptitiously inserted between the upper and the sole of a victim's shoe and lighted
Examples of hotfoot in a Sentence
Adverb
lowered his plane hotfoot onto a pasture when the engine started to sputter
Verb
you'd better hotfoot it to the bus stop if you're going to catch the bus
Recent Examples on the Web
Mark Holgate, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2025
With a 10-hour flight and seven-hour time difference meaning attendees couldn’t hotfoot it between ceremonies, the broadcast from the U.K. ensured that nominees including Lady Gaga, Ariana DeBose and Troy Kotsur were able to be in two places at (almost) the same time.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 14 Mar. 2022
As a demolitions expert, Daniel Craig hotfoots the story, delightfully, in the role of Joe Bang, adding the right degree of menace beneath the surface.
—Michael Phillips, chicagotribune.com, 17 Aug. 2017
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 May 2023
Our long-term BMW M340i hotfoots to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and blasts through the quarter-mile in 12.3 seconds.
—Annie White, Car and Driver, 3 Apr. 2020
Thankfully there’s Warren Carlyle’s blissful choreography, especially the hotfoot, slip-sliding tap numbers.
—Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2018
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Verb
Then, the boxes and me are off, hotfooting down the pink staircase to Elaine and Lynn.
—Mark Holgate, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2025
With a 10-hour flight and seven-hour time difference meaning attendees couldn’t hotfoot it between ceremonies, the broadcast from the U.K. ensured that nominees including Lady Gaga, Ariana DeBose and Troy Kotsur were able to be in two places at (almost) the same time.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 14 Mar. 2022
As a demolitions expert, Daniel Craig hotfoots the story, delightfully, in the role of Joe Bang, adding the right degree of menace beneath the surface.
—Michael Phillips, chicagotribune.com, 17 Aug. 2017
Noun
When Dellrayne uses his powers to incriminate Rourke and Diana in a killing, the two hotfoot it over the border to Mexico, seeking help from various associates until Dellrayne inevitably catches up with them.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 May 2023
Our long-term BMW M340i hotfoots to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and blasts through the quarter-mile in 12.3 seconds.
—Annie White, Car and Driver, 3 Apr. 2020
Thankfully there’s Warren Carlyle’s blissful choreography, especially the hotfoot, slip-sliding tap numbers.
—Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Hotfoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hotfoot. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hotfoot
1 of 2 adverb
hot·foot
ˈhät-ˌfu̇t 
: in haste
hotfoot
2 of 2 verb
: to go quickly : hurry
hotfoot it home
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