Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Tiptoe
Tip′toeˊ
,Noun.
pl.
Tiptoes
. The end, or tip, of the toe.
He must . . . stand on his
typtoon
[tiptoes]. Chaucer.
Upon his
tiptoes
stalketh stately by. Spenser.
To be a tiptoe
, To stand a tiptoe
, To stand on tiptoe
or To be on tiptoe
to be awake or alive to anything; to be roused; to be eager or alert;
as,
.to be a tiptoe
with expectationTip′toeˊ
,Adj.
1.
Being on tiptoe, or as on tiptoe; hence, raised as high as possible; lifted up; exalted; also, alert.
Night’s candles are burnt out, and jocund day
Stands
Stands
tiptoe
on the misty mountain tops. Shakespeare
Above the
tiptoe
pinnacle of glory. Byron.
2.
Noiseless; stealthy.
“With tiptoe step.” Cowper.
Tiptoe mirth
, the highest degree of mirth.
Sir W. Scott.
Tip′toeˊ
,Verb.
I.
To step or walk on tiptoe.
Webster 1828 Edition
Tiptoe
TIP'TOE
,Noun.
Upon his tiptoes stalketh stately by.
To be or to stand a tiptoe, to be awake or alive to any thing; to be roused; as, to be a tiptoe with expectation.
Definition 2024
tiptoe
tiptoe
See also: tip-toe
English
Alternative forms
Noun
tiptoe (plural tiptoes)
- (usually plural) The tips of one's toes collectively.
Derived terms
Terms derived from tiptoe
Translations
tips of one's toes
Adjective
tiptoe (not comparable)
- Standing elevated, on or as if on the tips of one's toes.
- Shakespeare
- Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day / Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.
- Byron
- above the tiptoe pinnacle of glory
- Shakespeare
- Moving carefully, quietly, warily or stealthily, on or as if on the tips of one's toes.
- Cowper
- with tiptoe step
- Cowper
Verb
tiptoe (third-person singular simple present tiptoes, present participle tiptoeing, simple past and past participle tiptoed)
- To walk quietly with only the tips of the toes touching the ground. [from late 14th c.]
- 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 13, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:
- 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.
- 1929, Al Dubin (lyrics), Joe Burke (music), “Tiptoe Through the Tulips”, performed by Nick Lucas:
- Tiptoe through the window / By the window, that is where I'll be / Come tiptoe through the tulips with me // Tiptoe from your pillow / To the shadow of the willow tree / And tiptoe through the tulips with me.
-
Related terms
Translations
to walk quietly