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tiptoe Definition

tip·toe (tiptō′)

noun

the tip of a toe or the tips of the toes: usually used with reference to a foot position with the heels raised and the body's weight resting on the toes and the balls of the feet

intransitive verb -·toed′, -·toe′·ing

to walk stealthily or cautiously on one's tiptoes

adjective

  1. standing on one's toes and the balls of one's feet
  2. stealthy; cautious

adverb

on tiptoe

tiptoe Idioms

on tiptoe

  1. on one's toes and the balls of one's feet
  2. eager; excited; alert
  3. silently; stealthily

tiptoe Usage Examples

Object

  • test: Integrity From behind, ask the patient to do a single foot tiptoe test on both sides.
  • downstairs: One night she left her husband sound asleep, tiptoed downstairs and peeped through a crack of the door.
  • round: Colin Robinson is at best tiptoeing round the awfulness of the corporate world.

Preposition: through

  • tulip: Not really, more a tiptoe through the tulips!
  • minefield: A life stripped bare: tiptoeing through the ethical minefield.

Modifying Another Word

  • on: Why should a man walk on tiptoe down the alley?
  • away: He has tiptoed away, allocating a derisory sum for reconstruction in Afghanistan, a country falling back into chaos.
  • then: Oscar looked out carefully, then tiptoed into the hallway.
  • n't: We need to be the party that does n't tiptoe around the issue.
  • carefully: Determined to discover what lay behind, he tiptoed carefully across the attic floor.
  • back: He turned to me with real anxiety in his eyes and tiptoed back to my bed so he wouldn't have to raise his voice.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • around: Well, there's no need to tiptoe around, treating the internet like a secret lover.
  • out: The Gruffalo's Child was feeling brave So she tiptoed out of the gruffalo cave.
  • up: Dixon opened the door very softly, and stole on tiptoe up to Margaret, sitting by the shaded window.
  • over: Later that night, out of curiosity, Brother Leonard went back to the brewing room and tiptoed over to the barrel.

Followed by a transitive particle

  • around: We need to be the party that doesn't tiptoe around the issue.
  • down: Autumn tiptoes down the narrow wooden corridor Making the faint squeak echo inside her.

Particle object:

issue: We need to be the party that doesn't tiptoe around the issue.

Infinitive complement

see: We had to stand on tiptoe to see you but it was worth the effort.

Preposition: in

style: What wild creature had I met on my travels that tore along on tiptoe in that extraordinary style?

Browse dictionary entries near tiptoe

  1. tipsy
  2. tipster
  3. tipstaff
  4. tipsheet
  5. TIPS
  6. tippy-toe
  7. tippy
  8. tipple
  9. Tippett
  10. tippet
  1. tiptop
  2. TIR
  3. tirade
  4. tiramisu
  5. Tirana
  6. tire
  7. tire chain
  8. tire iron
  9. tire out
  10. tired