Bible Dictionaries
Foot, Feet

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

besides its literal meaning, is used, by metonymy, of "a person in motion," Luke 1:79; Acts 5:9; Romans 3:15; 10:15; Hebrews 12:13 . It is used in phrases expressing subjection, 1 Corinthians 15:27 , RV; of the humility and receptivity of discipleship, Luke 10:39; Acts 22:3; of obeisance and worship, e.g., Matthew 28:9; of scornful rejection, Matthew 10:14; Acts 13:51 . Washing the "feet" of another betokened the humility of the service and the comfort of the guest, and was a feature of hospitality, Luke 7:38; John 13:5; 1 Timothy 5:10 (here figuratively).

Note: In Acts 7:5 bema, "a step," is used with podos, the genitive case of pous, lit., "the step of a foot," i.e., "a foot breadth," what the "foot" can stand on, "(not so much as) to set his foot on."

lit., "a step" (akin to baino, "to go"), hence denotes that with which one steps, "a foot," and is used in the plural in Acts 3:7 .

signifies "reaching to the feet," from pous, and aro, "to fit" (akin to A, No. 1), and is said of a garment, Revelation 1:13 . In the Sept. it is used of the high priest's garment, e.g., Exodus 28:4 .

an adjective, "on foot," is used in one of its forms as an adverb in Matthew 14:13; Mark 6:33 , in each place signifying "by land," in contrast to "by sea." Cp. pezeuo, "to go on foot," Acts 20:13 , RV, "to go by land" (marg., "on foot").

Notes: (1) In Acts 20:18 , the RV "set foot in" expresses more literally the verb epibaino (lit., "to go upon") than the AV "came into." So again in Acts 21:4 (some mss. have anabaino here). (2) In Luke 8:5 , katapateo, "to tread down" (kata, "down," pateo, "to tread, trample"), is translated "was trodden under foot," RV (AV, "was trodden down").