“The word “pussyfoot†was originally coined by Teddy Roosevelt.”
Pussyfoot was used by Scribner’s Magazine in 1893, and it was a slang word in popular use long before then. My grandfather and grandmother learned the use of the word from family and acquaintances in two different states who were using the word long before they were around in the 1880s. The root word, pussy to mean a cat, was in use in Old Norwegian and Low German centuries ago.
Now that’s getting down to the nitty-gritty.
nitty-gritty - origin unknown, (unless Teddy Roosevelt said it)
I stand corrected. Apparently it was Roosevelt who gave the word a big boost in popularity. Thank you for the correction.