footsy

footsie(s)

The act of touching or rubbing someone else's foot or ankle with one's own under a table, typically to show sexual interest in that person. Becky must like you if she was playing footsies with you all night at dinner.

play footsie(s) (with someone)

1. To rub someone's foot or feet with one's own, usually in secret beneath a table as a means of flirting or indicating romantic or sexual interest. My friend's sister started playing footsie with me during dinner. I had no idea she was into me! Are you two playing footsies?
2. By extension, to become secretly involved with someone; to offer clandestine cooperation with someone to gain their favor. It's been revealed that the senator has been playing footsie with major corporations to bypass federal regulations and bureaucratic red tape.
See also: play
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • footsie
  • footsie(s)
  • on (one's) coattails
  • on somebody's coat-tails
  • on someone's coattails
  • on someone's coat-tails
  • empathize
  • empathize with
  • empathize with (someone or something)
  • noogie
References in periodicals archive
Honda makes much of the fact that the 42-inch seat pitch means the passengers don't have to play footsy on the floor between the seats.
Honda builds a jet: anything but timid: with engines over the wings and car guys doing the selling, this $3.65 million VLJ is as different as different gets. It will live or die on untried engines
Swayed by the stranger's verbal footsy, Miao agrees to a rendezvous at his darkened apartment, where he tells her he's Alex Kaplan.
Frozen Days
Once on board, I would make my way to my favourite seat (the double one at the back of the carriage, so that I didn't have to sit opposite anyone or play footsy with a stranger's briefcase under the table), read my Western Mail, take a few swigs from my cardboard coffee cup, and fall asleep until Reading.
Capital trip showed me just how lucky I am
The tale is subtitled A Story Of Cancer And Love, which doesn't mean Hunter stops cursing his cancer, eventually taking it for early-evening cocktails, followed by a candlelit dinner and footsy under the table.
BOOKS: A tragic voice; HILL STREET BLUES INSPIRATION AND HIS BATTLE AGAINST CANCER
You don't want to believe that reporters from big newspapers were playing footsy with prosecutors who had become persecutors.
The Hunting of the President: The Ten-Year Campaign to Destroy Bill and Hillary Clinton
RICH: What I find equally appalling are these enhancement deals - you've written very well about this, Bob - in which the nonprofit theatre is playing footsy with commercial theatre.
A critics' summit
If so, would the US play footsy with the generals as in Pakistan and Egypt?
One Man, One Vote, One Time
KISSY: Tattooed Nat and Liam canoodle on sun isle; FOOTSY: Lucky Liam enjoys a toe massage from the missus; HUGGY: Couple cuddle on second honeymoon; APPEAL-TON: Natalie's in fine form as she splashes out on break in Mauritius; GOLDEN DELICIOUS: Warning flag for admirers as gorgeous Natalie tops up her tan
The Big Apple-tons; Nat pops her pips on beach: STAR LOOKS TOPLESS TREAT ON HOL
As early as 1907, major theater owners such as Abe Erlanger, widely known as "dishonest Abe," tried to play footsy with the original William Morris, sneaking him a cut of box office receipts if he would offer up his clients at reduced rates.
Liberating the tenpercenters
Former beauty queen Susan Robertson left husband Laurence, 49, after she spotted him playing footsy with a young blonde riding instructor.
I STILL SHADOW CHEAT HUBBY; EXCLUSIVE Tory's Ulster Sec's ex wife paid by MP