Library / English Dictionary

TIPTOE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The tip of a toe

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("tiptoe" is a kind of...):

tip (the extreme end of something; especially something pointed)

Holonyms ("tiptoe" is a part of...):

toe (one of the digits of the foot)

Derivation:

tiptoe (walk on one's toes)

 II. (adjective) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Walking on the tips of ones's toes so as to make no noise

Example:

moving with tiptoe steps

Classified under:

Adjectives

Similar:

quiet (free of noise or uproar; or making little if any sound)

 III. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Walk on one's toes

Synonyms:

tip; tippytoe; tiptoe

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "tiptoe" is one way to...):

walk (use one's feet to advance; advance by steps)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

The children tiptoe to the playground

Derivation:

tiptoe (the tip of a toe)

 IV. (adverb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

On tiptoe or as if on tiptoe

Example:

standing tiptoe

Classified under:

Adverbs

Credits

 Context examples: 

Then he approached it, and, standing on tiptoe with his neck craned, he looked into the room.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He walked on tiptoe under the shadow of the wall, and when he reached the window he worked a long-bladed knife through the sash and pushed back the catch.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Face like a peach!” standing on tiptoe to pinch my cheek as I sat.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

From one of these I picked a battle-axe, and then, leaving my candle behind me, I crept on tiptoe down the passage and peeped in at the open door.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

At length her eyes were lifted up to mine, and she stood on tiptoe to give me, more thoughtfully than usual, that precious little kiss—once, twice, three times—and went out of the room.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Traddles presents her to us with great pride; and rubs his hands for ten minutes by the clock, with every individual hair upon his head standing on tiptoe, when I congratulate him in a corner on his choice.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Wilson's eyes fell upon Tom; he started up on his tiptoes and then would have collapsed to his knees had not Tom held him upright.

(The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald)

I walked back along the border of the lawn, traversed the gravel softly and tiptoed up the veranda steps.

(The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald)

As I tiptoed from the porch I heard my taxi feeling its way along the dark road toward the house. Gatsby was waiting where I had left him in the drive.

(The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald)

He reached up on tiptoes and peered over a circle of heads into the garage which was lit only by a yellow light in a swinging wire basket overhead. Then he made a harsh sound in his throat and with a violent thrusting movement of his powerful arms pushed his way through.

(The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald)