Meaning of "cut away from his feet"

Question

With the earth cut away from his feet, oliver resumed his aimless drift along the continent.

In this sentence, I understand the last clause. But not the first.

The translator said it is "Lose foothold", but I don't understand what it means.

What does "cut away from his feet" mean? Is it a phrase or slang?

Answer 1

It means Oliver's plans were spoilt.

Cut the ground from under someone’s feet— to spoil someone’s plans or achievements by doing something better than them or by doing it before them

— Macmillan Dictionary

In the novel, Oliver's life was full of hope as he owned a store and got married. However, things took a turn for the worse as his wife died following his bankruptcy. Oliver was hopeless again and aimlessly wandered the continent.

Though the expression "cut the ground from under (one's) feet" usually needs a competitor to spoil the plans; here, nature was the sole causative agent. Thus, the author used his artistic licence to put a twist on the expression.