足あしがつく

expression, godan verb (-ku)

be traced; be tracked down

Idiomatic expression used when a criminal or suspect is traced by evidence or clues, often involving footprints or other leads.

• 犯はん人にんは現げん場ばに残のこした指し紋もんから足あしがついた。

  The criminal was traced from the fingerprints left at the scene.

• 盗ぬすまれた品しな物ものから足あしがついて逮たい捕ほされた。

  He was tracked down through the stolen goods and arrested.

expression, godan verb (-ku)

have a male lover

Archaic idiomatic usage referring to a woman having a male lover; rarely used in modern Japanese.

• 江え戸ど時じ代だいの文ぶん献けんには「あの女おんなには足あしがついている」という表ひょう現げんが見みられる。

  In Edo-period texts, one finds the expression 'that woman has a lover'.