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Glite Dictionary
🤔 To avoid deciding 🐾 To move quietly
to pussyfoot

to pussyfoot

8.9
To move quietly and carefully to avoid being noticed
  • verb
  • /ˈpʌsiˌfʊt/
  • Informal
translation icon : moverse sigilosamente
  • She tends to pussyfoot when discussing her feelings, afraid of being too direct.

Examples

  • Lollygagging, pussyfooting, Wentville, Wasville, and then yearning for the true conservative.

  • The girls twittered and pussyfooted at the bleak.

  • I hate low, underhanded people like policemen pussyfooting after you.

    Notorious (1946)

  • An average game should score around 50%, but most reviewers pussyfoot around the 75 percent mark, never really dropping lower than 40% for something truly awful.

    Blog text (32)

  • The cat carefully pussyfooted across the icy sidewalk to avoid slipping.

  • He pussyfooted around the topic of the meeting, trying not to upset anyone.

Synonyms

to sneak
vsto pussyfoot
699 2.8

To move or take something quietly so others do not notice

is more about cautious quiet movement to avoid notice rather than secret acts
to creep
vsto pussyfoot
155 2.5

To move slowly and quietly with the body low to the ground

is quieter and more generally cautious rather than specifically staying low to the ground
to tiptoe
vsto pussyfoot
44 3.1

To walk quietly on the toes to avoid making noise

is general quiet cautious movement not tied to walking on the toes
to prowl
vsto pussyfoot
35 5.3

To move quietly around a place looking for something

is cautious quiet movement aimed at avoiding notice, not searching or hunting
to skulk
vsto pussyfoot
20 7.7

To move or act quietly to avoid being noticed

focuses more on gentle cautious movement to avoid being noticed rather than hiding
to slink
vsto pussyfoot
16 6.7

To move quietly and carefully to avoid being seen

is general cautious quiet movement, not always tied to fear or guilt
to sidle
vsto pussyfoot
5 8.1

To move slowly and quietly to the side to avoid being noticed

is general quiet cautious movement not limited to sideways motion
to sidle past
vsto pussyfoot
1 7.9

To move sideways past someone quietly without being noticed

is broader cautious quiet movement, not specifically a sideways passing action
to mouse
vsto pussyfoot
8.7

To move quietly and carefully so other people do not notice

is broader cautious quiet movement not limited to small timid posture
to cat
vsto pussyfoot
9.1

To move quietly and carefully like a small, furry pet

is plain cautious quiet movement rather than a specifically graceful animal style
to tippytoe
vsto pussyfoot
7.4

To walk quietly on your toes to avoid making noise

is broader cautious quiet movement, not specifically a tiptoe method
to skeez around
vsto pussyfoot
  • Informal
9.9

To move around in a secret or awkward way that makes people suspicious

is quiet cautious movement intended to avoid notice rather than attract attention

Antonyms

to stomp
144 2.9

To walk heavily and loudly to show anger or determination

How Quiet

to tiptoe
44 3.1
sneak
2 5.6
to pussyfoot
  • Informal
8.9
to walk
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

pussyfoot infinitive
pussyfooted past
pussyfooted past participle
pussyfooting present participle
pussyfoots third person singular

Morphology

pussyfoot = pussy + foot (transparent) = pussy + foot

The compound evokes moving like a cat ('pussy') on its 'foot', so the meaning 'move quietly/cautiously' is directly derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Pussyfoot comes from the image of a cat's soft steps: pussy 'cat' + foot. So to pussyfoot is to move quietly and carefully, like a cat walking so no one hears it.