hoof
/huːf/ (bre, ipa) · /huːf/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhu̇f ˈhüf/ (ame, mw) · /hʊf/ (ame, ipa)
hoof — noun
- hoofsingular
- hoofsplural
1. The hard, tough covering made of keratin that grows on the lower part of each fo
The hard, tough covering made of keratin that grows on the lower part of each foot in large plant-eating mammals like horses, cattle, sheep, goats, and deer, protecting the foot and helping the animal move over different types of ground.
The farrier checked each hoof on Andrés's horse for cracks before the race.
check a hoof — inspect for damage or disease
Yasmin watched the mountain goats grip the steep rocks with their small, sharp hooves.
irregular plural: hooves (also accepted: hoofs)
A sharp stone got stuck in the mule's hoof, and it began to limp badly.
Cyrus cleaned the mud from his horse's hooves after riding through the wet fields.
- trotter
refers specifically to the foot of a pig, especially in cooking; not interchangeable with hoof for horses or cattle
- cloven hoof
a hoof split into two parts, found on animals like cows, sheep, and goats; a subtype of hoof
用法筆記
The standard plural is hooves, though hoofs is also accepted in informal writing. This sense is usually used for large plant-eating mammals — birds and small mammals have claws or paws, not hooves.
常見錯誤
hoof — verb
- hoofpresent simple I / you / we / they
- hoofs3rd person singular
- hoofing-ing form
- hoofedpast simple
1. To strike a ball hard with the foot in sports such as soccer or rugby, often wit
To strike a ball hard with the foot in sports such as soccer or rugby, often without precise control and usually to send it a long way down the field.
Min hoofed the ball down the field, hoping a teammate would reach it first.
Under pressure from two attackers, the defender hoofed the ball clear of the goal area.
The coach told the players to stop hoofing the ball and to pass it carefully.
Pedro hoofed the ball so hard it flew over the crossbar and into the crowd.
文法句型
hoof + noun phrase (the ball) + adverb/prepositional phrase
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used in sports commentary or informal team talk. It suggests a lack of precision — a player hoofs the ball when there is no time to aim a careful pass.
2. To walk or travel somewhere on foot, especially when you are in a hurry, your ve
To walk or travel somewhere on foot, especially when you are in a hurry, your vehicle has broken down, or the distance is farther than you expected.
Tara and Inês missed the train, so they hoofed it home through the rain.
Christopher's car broke down, so he hoofed it to the nearest gas station.
Amihan decided to hoof it to the store rather than wait for the bus.
We were late for the concert, so we hoofed it the last few blocks.
文法句型
hoof it + adverb/prepositional phrase
用法筆記
This sense is always used in the fixed phrase 'hoof it.' You cannot say 'I hoofed to the store' without 'it.' The expression is informal and suggests time pressure or discomfort — you hoof it when walking is not your first choice.