1781. G. Parker, View of Society, I., 48; I must instantly pay down two shillings for my footing. 1788. G. A. Stevens, Adv. of a Speculist, i., 211. I was drove from street to street by women of my own profession, who swore I should not come in their beats until I had paid my footing. 1830. Carleton, Collegian’s Colleen Bawn, 94. ‘Pay your footing now, Master Kyrle Daly, before you go farther,’ said one. 1840. Haliburton, Clockmaker, 3 S., ch. iii. ‘Waiter, half-a-dozen of iced champagne here, to pay for Mr. Slick’s footin’.’ 1891. Clark Russell, An Ocean Tragedy, p. 86. I was going aloft and wished to pay my footing. Footle, verb., and Footling, adj. (colloquial).—To dawdle, trifle, potter; dawdling, trifling, pottering; messing about (q.v.). Footlicker, subs. (old).—A servant: a lickspittle. 1609. Shakspeare, The Tempest, IV., 1. Do that good mischief which may make this island Thine for ever, and I, thy Caliban, For aye thy foot-licker. Footlights. To smell the footlights, verb. phr. (theatrical).—To acquire a taste for theatricals. [Footlights = the float (q.v.); the row of burners in front of the stage.] To smell of the footlights. To carry theatrical concerns and phraseology into private life; to talk shop (q.v.). Footman’s Inn, subs. phr. (old).—A poor lodging; a jail. Fr., Hôtel de la modestie = the Poor Man’s Arms. 1608. Penniles Parliament of Threedbare Poets. Those that depend on destiny, and not on God, may chance look through a narrow lattice at Footman’s Inn. 1612. Rowland, Knave of Hearts. Which at the heeles so hants his frighted ghost, That he at last in Footman’s-inne must host, Some castle dolorous compos’d of stone, Like (let me see) Newgate is such a one. Footman’s Maund, subs. phr. (old).—An artificial sore, as from a horse’s bite or kick. The fox’s bite of schoolboys. Also the Scaldrum Dodge, or Maund (q.v.). Maund = a cadger’s sale-basket. Cf., Masons’ Maund. 1690. B. E., Dict. of the Canting Crew, s.v. An artificial sore made with unslacked lime, soap, and the rust of old iron, on the back of a beggar’s hand, as if hurt by the bite or kick of a horse. 1785. Grose, Dict. of the Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Foot-riding, subs. (cyclists’).—Walking and wheeling one’s machine instead of riding it. 1887. T. Stevens, Round the World on a Bicycle. Already I realise that there is going to be as much foot-riding as anything for the first part of my journey. Foot-scamp, subs. (old).—A foot-pad.—G. Parker. Footstool. See Angels’ Footstool. Foot-wobbler, subs. (old, soldier’s’).—An infantryman. For synonyms, see Mudcrusher. 1785. Grose, Dict. of the Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Footy, adj. (old).—Contemptible; worthless. Fr., foutu.—Grose. 1836. Michael Scott, Tom Cringle’s Log, ch. v. My eye, Captain, no use to dodge from her; it is only dat footy little King’s cutter on de Jamaica station.