put, verb

transitive. Colloquial. In the phrase to put foot, to use the accelerator on a motor vehicle; so (figurative), to ‘get a move on’, to hurry. Cf. to tread tackie (see tackie sense 1 c).
1981 L. & P. Robertson-Hotz in Bloody Horse Jan.Feb. 32Now we’d better put foot; we’ve only got a couple of hours before they discover we’ve escaped.
1989 T. Botha in Style June 108A love story about the long open road, putting foot, fly-bitten caffies, ver verlate vlaktes as well as the art of sleep-driving at 120km/h.
1990 G. Betrix on TV1, 21 Apr.They know that they (sc. show-jumpers) really have to put foot, so to speak, if they want to have a chance in the competition.
1991 M.J. Silva Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)I’ve got to meet him at the video shop. Come on Dad, put foot.
In the phrase to put foot,to use the accelerator on a motor vehicle; so (figurative), to ‘get a move on’, to hurry.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

19811991