I. ˈhu̇]f, ˈhü] noun
( plural hooves ]vz ; or hoofs ]fs)
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hōf; akin to Old Frisian & Old Saxon hōf hoof, Old High German huof, Old Norse hōfr hoof, Sanskrit śapha hoof, claw, Avestan safa- horse's hoof
1.
a. : a curved covering of horn that protects the front of or more or less extensively encloses the ends of the digits of an ungulate mammal and that corresponds to a nail or claw — see cow illustration
b. : a hoofed foot especially of a horse or other equine — compare cloven foot
c. : foot ; especially : a large, heavy, or ill-managed human foot
heard those hooves on the stair
2. now chiefly dialect : a hoofed animal ; usually : a hoofed domestic mammal
hadn't a hoof fit to dress
3. : one of the smaller and more angulate plates (as a marginal plate) of the shell of the hawksbill turtle ; also : the tortoise shell composing these plates — used chiefly commercially
•
- on the hoof
[s]hoof.jpg[/s] [
hoof 1b: 1, 2, 3, 4 parts of wall ( 1 toe, 2 side walls, 3 quarters, 4 buttresses), 5 bulbs, 6 sole, 7 white line, 8 frog
]
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
1. : walk
hoofed a mile to school each day
hoofing it to town
2. : kick , trample
buffalo hoofed up the dust
colts hoofing the sod
3. : to put out by or as if by kicking : throw out : eject , boot
uncle got me hoofed out of that — F.M.Ford
intransitive verb
: to move on the feet (as in walking, tramping, or dancing) ; especially : to execute noisy rhythmic footwork (as in tap-dancing)