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View synonyms for tiptoe

tiptoe

[ tip-toh ]

noun

  1. the tip or end of a toe.


verb (used without object)

, tip·toed, tip·toe·ing.
  1. to move or go on tiptoe, as with caution or stealth:

    She tiptoed out of the room.

adjective

  1. characterized by standing or walking on tiptoe.
  2. straining upward.
  3. eagerly expectant.
  4. cautious; stealthy.

adverb

  1. eagerly or cautiously; on tiptoe.

tiptoe

/ ˈtɪpˌtəʊ /

verb

  1. to walk with the heels off the ground and the weight supported by the ball of the foot and the toes
  2. to walk silently or stealthily
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


noun

  1. on tiptoe
    1. on the tips of the toes or on the ball of the foot and the toes
    2. eagerly anticipating something
    3. stealthily or silently
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. on tiptoe
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. walking or standing on tiptoe
  2. stealthy or silent
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of tiptoe1

1350–1400; Middle English tiptoon (plural noun). See tip 1, toe
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. on tiptoe,
    1. on the tips of one's toes.
    2. expectant; eager:

      With Christmas coming, the children were on tiptoe.

    3. stealthily; cautiously:

      The concert had already begun, so he entered the back of the hall on tiptoe.

More idioms and phrases containing tiptoe

see on tiptoe .
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Example Sentences

But when it comes to China, the government is tiptoeing nervously in the wings.

From BBC

As the hearing ended, a group of fans huddled by the courtroom doors on their tiptoes hoping to catch sight of him and show support for the rapper.

From BBC

They watched Walker Buehler tiptoe in and out of danger over four scoreless innings, the right-hander managing to get enough swing-and-miss to compensate for his spotty command.

As we climbed the steps leading to the iconic seventeenth-century mosque, we glimpsed a tiny tabby tiptoeing through the gorgeous courtyard, which is surrounded by tall red sandstone gates.

From Salon

As the hearing ended, some of Mr Combs's supporters lingered at the door, on their tiptoes hoping to catch a sight of the rapper as he was escorted away.

From BBC

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Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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