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footle

verb
foo·​tle | \ ˈfü-tᵊl How to pronounce footle (audio) \
footled; footling\ ˈfü-​tᵊl-​iŋ How to pronounce footling (audio) , ˈfüt-​liŋ \

Definition of footle

intransitive verb

1 : to talk or act foolishly
2 : to waste time : trifle, fool
Other Words from footle Synonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about footle

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Other Words from footle

footle noun
footler \ ˈfü-​tᵊl-​ər How to pronounce footler (audio) , ˈfüt-​lər \ noun

Did You Know?

Footle may be an alteration of "footer," which an 1847 dictionary of archaic and provincial words says is a verb meaning "to idle." That word is connected with "fouter" (also spelled "foutra"), a word describing something of little value or someone worthless or bungling. But the link between "footle" and "footer" is speculative. What we can say with confidence is that "footle" is a verb of 19th century origin that-along with the adjective "footling" (as in "a footling amateur")-is still apt when discussing foolish or trifling people or things.

Examples of footle in a Sentence

spent the morning footling about while others were working

Recent Examples on the Web

 Last year an American startup called Swarm Technologies paid a footling $900,000 fine for sending four tiny satellites into orbit on an Indian rocket, having been denied permission to do so by the US Federal Communications Commission. — The Economist, "Space law is inadequate for the boom in human activity there," 17 July 2019

First Known Use of footle

1891, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for footle

probably alteration of footer to waste time

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