Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To move stealthily or cautiously.
  • intransitive verb Informal To act or proceed cautiously or timidly to avoid committing oneself.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb intransitive To move silently, stealthily, or furtively.
  • verb intransitive To act timidly or cautiously.
  • verb intransitive To use euphemistic language or circumlocution.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb to go stealthily or furtively

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From pussy (“feline”) +‎ foot; because of the light and careful tread of cats.

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