footsie

[ foot-see ]

noun

, Informal.

1. Sometimes footsies. the act of flirting or sharing a surreptitious intimacy.

Footsie

¹

/ ˈfʊtsɪ /

noun

1. an informal name for Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 Index

footsie

²

/ ˈfʊtsɪ /

noun

1. informal.
   flirtation involving the touching together of feet, knees, etc (esp in the phrase play footsie )

Word History and Origins

Origin of footsie¹

First recorded in 1930–35; foot + -sie, spelling variant of -sy

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. play footsie / footsies with, Informal.
   1. to flirt with, especially by clandestinely touching someone's foot or leg; be slyly or furtively intimate with.
   2. to seek advantage from, especially by discreet or stealthy means; curry favor with.

Example Sentences

In short, Trump, who routinely distorts others’ statements and plays footsie with violence, doesn’t deserve the benefit of the doubt when he uses terms like “bloodbath.”

From Los Angeles Times

There is important evidence about the appeal of Reform UK, who have strong ambitions, whether or not Nigel Farage ever concludes his game of footsie.

From BBC

Ms. Haley’s campaign events are gathering grounds for a mix of voters who are yearning to move past Mr. Trump and others who are playing footsie with the idea.

From Washington Times

“And then, when the information exploded into the public domain, continue to coddle George Santos and play footsie with him for the better part of the year.”

From Seattle Times

Nancy knew everyone from school—except a little girl running around in footsie pajamas.

From Literature