first-foot

/ferrst"foot"/, Scot.

n. Also, first-footer.

1. the first person to cross the threshold of a house on New Year's Day.

2. the first person met after starting out on the day of an important occasion.

v.t.

3. to enter (a house) first on New Year's Day.

v.i.

4. to be the first to enter a house on New Year's Day.

[1880-85]

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firstˈ-footˈ noun (Scot)

The first person to enter a house after the beginning of the new year

transitive verb

To visit as first-foot

intransitive verb

To go around making visits as first-foot

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Main Entry: ↑first

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first-foot «FURST fut», noun.

in Scotland and northern England:

1. the person who first enters a house after the coming in of the new year.

2. the first person or object met on setting out on any important journey or undertaking.

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1.

v. [trans.] be the first person to cross the threshold of the house of (someone) in the New Year, in accordance with a Scottish custom

2.

n. the first person to cross a threshold in the New Year

Derivatives:

first-footer ['fo͝otər] n.

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ˌfirst-ˈfoot [first-foot first-foots first-footed first-footing] verb \first-foot sb

to be the first person to enter sb's house in the New Year. First-footing is a Scottish custom.

Derived Word: ↑first-footer

Verb forms:  

Culture:

First-footing is the Scottish tradition of waiting for a new person to enter a house at ↑New Year before the celebrations can begin. Many people enjoy first-footing in Scotland by going to other people’s houses. Traditionally, they take a piece of coal for the fire, some ↑whisky to drink, and sometimes something to eat.