General
flatfoot
What does flatfoot mean?
An ordinary uniformed police officer, especially one walking the beat. The joke is the flat feet you'd supposedly develop from pounding the pavement all day. Pure noir-era flavour now.
"Some flatfoot saw the whole thing and blew his whistle."
Origin
Early 20th-century American slang, from the flat feet supposedly caused by long hours walking a beat.
Frequently asked questions
What does "flatfoot" mean?
It's slang for a beat cop.
How do you use "flatfoot" in a sentence?
For example: "A couple of flatfoots were walking the block all night."
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