Dictionary

slue-foot en · NOUN

Etymology

From slue + foot.

Meanings

1. (Canada, US) A foot that is large and turned outwards or is otherwise awry.
   • 'As the old folks say, it runs in the family - like double-jointed thumbs runs in Sis' Tempy's family, and slue-feet in Tom Jenkins's family.' This raised a smile. Tempy examined her thumbs, and Tom glanced down at his slue-foot with consequence, suddenly recognising them as ancestral trophies. 1896 September 12, The Maitland Weekly Mercury, NSW, page 15, column 1:
2. (Canada, US) A person with slue-feet.
   • For, up a narrow little path which ran down athwart the face of the palisade came Uncle John Swafford with Robert Samuel on his arm; and behind them followed, grinning, the slew-foot Jim Swafford, with a blanket on his shoulder. 1907 April 20, The Wagga Wagga Express, NSW, page 6, column 4:
3. (Canada, US, slang) A detective or police officer.
   • Military Intelligence seems to be on the spot in a quiet sort of way. I just met a G-2 slue-foot and he was a most efficient guy! They're keeping low, I think, until they nail their man. 1943 October 9, The Australian Women's Weekly, page 3, column 4:
4. (qualifier:preceded by definite article) A dance that had a brief popularity in the mid to late 1950s.
   • Since Fred Astaire introduced it in the movie 'Daddy Longlegs,' the Slue-foot has become the new dance craze of the world. 1955 June 4, The Mirror, Perth, page 11, column 5:
   • A new dance is about to hit Melbourne — the slew foot. "How do you do it?" president Frank South of the Academy of Teachers of Dancing was asked. "Do it?" he said. "You just jump up and down. IT'S CRAZY!" 1955 August 13, The Daily New, Perth, page 6, column 3:
   • Already gaining momentum as a national dance craze is the "Sluefoot" dance improvised by Astaire to a song of Mercer's. 1957 July 3, The Kojonup Courier, WA, page 4, column 6:

Forms

Relateds

splayfoot · duck-footed · pigeon-toed