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toe definition

toe (tō)

noun

    1. any of the five jointed parts at the front of the human foot; digit
    2. the forepart of the human foot
    3. the part of a shoe, sock, etc. that covers the toes
  2. any of the digits of an animal's foot, or the forepart of a hoof, etc.
  3. anything suggesting a toe in location, shape, or function; specif.,
    1. a pivot or journal extending vertically in a bearing
    2. a projecting arm raised or moved by a cam

Etymology: ME to < OE ta, earlier tahe, akin to Ger zehe < IE base *dei-, to show > teach, L dicere, to say, digitus

transitive verb toed, toeing toe′·ing

  1. to provide with a toe or toes
  2. to touch, kick, etc. with the toes to toe a starting line
  3. Carpentry
    1. to drive (a nail) slantingly
    2. to clinch or fasten with nails driven slantingly; toenail

intransitive verb

☆ to stand, walk, or be formed so that the toes are in a specified position to toe in or toe out
toe Idioms

on one's toes

Informal mentally or physically alert

step on someone's toes

or tread on someone's toes
to offend someone, esp. by trespassing or intruding on prerogatives or rights

toe the line

or toe the mark
  1. to stand or crouch with the toes touching the starting line of a race, etc.
  2. to follow orders, rules, doctrines, etc. strictly

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms toe idiom

medical toe definition - medical

toe Synonyms

toe

n.

digit, phalanx, front of the foot, tip of a shoe; see appendage 2.

on one's toes*

alert, aware, attentive; see careful.

step<strong> or </strong>tread on someone's toes

annoy, offend, disturb, intrude; see anger 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

toe Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • deform: I get pain in the ball of my foot - caused by deformed toes?

Adjective modifier

  • well-arched: The feet should be short, round and compact with well-arched toes and thick, hard pads.

Modifies a noun

  • nail: An In growing toe nail is caused by a splinter of nail or the whole nail causing pressure into the skin.

Noun used with modifier

  • mallet: The DIPJ may just bend downwards itself while the rest of the toe remains straight ( usually called a mallet toe ).
toe usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

toe quotes

Go out on the front porch of the house, turn the Washington Post over with your big toe, and if your name's above the fold, you know you're not going to have a good day.

-Lance, Bert

It asks more steadiness, self-control, ay, and manly courage, than any other exercise.You must take as well as giveöeye to eye, toe to toe, and arm to arm.

-Peel, Sir Robert

Mary Poppins looked down at her feet and rubbed the toe of one shoe along the pavement two or three times. Then she smiled at the shoe in such a way that the shoe knew quite well that the smile wasn't meant for it.

-Travers, P(amela) L(yndon)

toe quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"toe." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/toe>

APA Style

toe. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/toe

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