English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Put your foot in it
Meaning
The idiom "put your foot in it" means to make a mistake, or do something that is considered a blunder or error. It can also mean accidentally doing something wrong, or making a misstep.
Usage
- I put my foot in it by tripping over my words during the presentation.
- He put his foot in it by accidentally sending an email to the wrong person.
- She put her foot in it by forgetting her friend's birthday.
- We put our foot in it when we missed the train by just a few minutes.
- The company put their foot in it by releasing a product that was not well-received by customers.
Roots and History
The earliest known use of this idiom is in the 18th century, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. It comes from an earlier phrase "to put one's foot in it," which meant to make a mistake or blunder. This phrase evolved over time to its current form, likely due to the idea of accidentally putting one's foot in something and causing trouble.
Synonyms in English
- Stumble upon something unexpectedly
- Blunder
- Mistake
- Error
- Accidentally do something wrong
Synonyms in other languages
- Pie en la gorda (Spanish): A phrase that literally means "pie in the pants" and is used to describe a mistake or blunder.
- C'est pas l'eau à l'eau (French): A phrase that literally means "it's not water" and is used to express surprise or disbelief when something unexpected happens.
- לטהון נפשות (Hebrew): A phrase that literally means "a foot in a grave" and is used to describe a dangerous or risky situation.
- 犯處 (Japanese): A phrase that literally means "to commit a crime" and is used to express regret or shame when making a mistake.
- 骰子狀的事情 (Chinese): A phrase that literally means "a situation like rolling dice" and is used to describe an uncertain or unpredictable outcome.