Dictionary

surefooted en · ADJ

Etymology

From sure + footed.

Meanings

1. Walking steadily, without stumbling; capable of finding good footing.
   • For many years I didn't learn to walk, because I was carried everywhere—not by my parents, who had grown frail, but by the most sure-footed of the servants. 1997, Emma Donoghue, “The Tale of the Needle”, in Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins, New York: HarperCollins, page 169:
   • The mules of Piedmont are exceeding strong and hardy. […] They are the only carriage that can be used in crossing the mountains, being very sure-footed: and it is observed that in choosing their steps, they always march upon the brink of the precipice. 1766, Tobias Smollett, Travels through France and Italy, Letter XX:
   • Testers reported the locomotive as very surefooted and said it did not lose traction. 2024 June 12, Pip Dunn, “Network News: Class 93 tri-mode completes first UK main line tests”, in RAIL, number 1011, page 6:
2. Confident and capable.
   • Her performance was described as "stunning, surefooted, breathtaking." 2015, Rosemary Sullivan, Stalin's Daughter, →ISBN, page 320:

Forms

Deriveds

surefootedly · surefootedness

Translations (5)

es que anda seguro (confident) · es con paso firme (walking steadily) · nl zelfzeker (confident) · nl zelfverzekerd (confident) · nl vastvoetig (walking steadily)