walk the floor

walk the floor

To pace back and forth, to and fro around a room. I was a nervous wreck, walking the floor for hours waiting for the doctors to give me an update on his condition. I could hear him up there walking the floor as he tried to come up with a solution to the problem.
See also: floor, walk
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

walk the floor

Fig. to pace nervously while waiting. While Bill waited for news of the operation, he walked the floor for hours on end. Walking the floor won't help. You might as well sit down and relax.
See also: floor, walk
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

walk the floor

Pace up and down, as in In former times expectant fathers walked the floor, but now they often are labor coaches, or The baby was colicky, so she walked the floor with him all night.
See also: floor, walk
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
See also:
  • pace the floor
  • to and fro
  • forth
  • nervous wreck
  • reck
  • pace back and forth
  • pace around
  • toing and froing
  • from this/that day forth
  • give forth with (something)
References in classic literature
He came to me at once to make sure of this, and remained to walk the floor gloriously as he told me what recognition means to gentlemen of the artistic callings.
The Little White Bird
Judge Driscoll began to walk the floor in a state of pleased excitement; but presently he stopped, and began to think--began to think of Tom.
Puddnhead Wilson
"Though why you shouldn't, no mortal knows," he said, in a gayer tone; and, getting up, he began to walk the floor.
Uncle Toms Cabin
He would then walk the floor, and seek to justify Covey by saying he expected I deserved it.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass An American Slave
"That tells the traders they have 15 seconds to complete their trade for the day." Mr Pitt, who also got to sign the book of official bell ringers and walk the floor of the stock exchange, said: "It was really fun and we are very lucky to have offices around the world." He is a former pupil at Bridgnorth Endowed School and Oldbury Wells School.
County boss Iain rings up a first
That tells the traders they have 15 seconds to complete their trade for the day." Mr Pitt also got to sign the book of official bell ringers and walk the floor of the stock exchange.
Bell honour for businessman
Visitors can also pre-book tours of the hall by booking a "Walk the Floor Tour" where you will have the rare privilege of being able to "walk" on the floor itself.
Enjoy a night on the tiles; MY CITY
"All you needed to do was walk the floor at ProMat 2017," says Trebilcock.
How strong is your desire to innovate?
The September 8th issue of Picking Perfection suggested that in a busy warehouse or distribution center, dozens or hundreds of order pickers walk the floor with carts and clipboards or scan guns to pick orders for shipping.
Picking Perfection News Magazine Discusses Picking Design in Warehouse
Instead, users wearing Google Glass with the application downloaded could walk the floor, using the software to monitor systems and get instant updates about performance and quotas.
Factory specs
WALK THE FLOOR It's essential to have hard-wearing flooring in a hall - a high traffic area.
A grand entrance; FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE CRUCIAL, SAY GABRIELLE FAGAN
Brand names famous and obscure at the starting line of a race where the iPad is already a speeding dot near the horizon.It's impossible to walk the floor at this year's International Consumer Electronics Show without stumbling across a multitude of keyboard-less touch-screen computers
Tablets crowd Las Vegas gadget show, chasing iPad's tail
However, it's a good bet that Apple will soon develop enterprise office apps allowing you to view operations reports as you walk the floor.
Grocery: There's an App for That
One of my first jobs is to walk the floor making sure it looks presentable and tidy.
Nicolas makes food a priority