tiptoe
noun
- intentionally standing or walking on the toes and balls of the feet
verb
- to walk or move quietly on one's toes
adverb
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L333835 on Wikidata ↗adjective
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L341223 on Wikidata ↗Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈtɪpˌtəʊ/ / [ˈtʰɪpˌtʰəʊ̯] / /ˈtɪpˌtoʊ/
adj
Etymology: From Middle English tipto, typto; equivalent to tip + toe. Compare fingertip.
- Standing elevated, on or as if on the tips of one's toes.
“Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day / Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.”
“And ever as they talked Beregond was more amazed, and looked with greater wonder at the hobbit, swinging his short legs as he sat on the seat, or standing tiptoe upon it to peer over the sill at the lands below.”
- Moving carefully, quietly, warily or stealthily, on or as if on the tips of one's toes.
“with tiptoe step”
“And stole along on tiptoe tread”
name
Etymology: Derived from a surname of French origin recorded in the 13th century as "Typetot".
- A small village in Hordle parish and Sway parish, New Forest district, Hampshire, England (OS grid ref SZ2597).
noun
Etymology: From Middle English tipto, typto; equivalent to tip + toe. Compare fingertip.
- The tip of the toe.
verb
Etymology: From Middle English tipto, typto; equivalent to tip + toe. Compare fingertip.
- To walk quietly with only the tips of the toes touching the ground.
“We went tip-toeing along a path amongst the trees back towards the end of the widow's garden, stooping down so as the branches wouldn't scrape our heads.”
“We tiptoed into the house, up the stairs and along the hall into the room where the Professor had been spending so much of his time.”