▪ I. tiptoe, tip-toe, n. (adv., a.)
(ˈtɪptəʊ)
Forms: pl. 4–5 tiptoon, 5 typtoon, -ton, -toos, tiptos, 6 typtoes, tippetoes, Sc. typtays, typtaes, 6– tiptoes,7– tip-toes; sing. 5 typto, tiptoo, 6 tipto, typtoe, 6– tiptoe, 7– tip-toe.
[f. tip n.1 + toe n., pl. in ME. toon, mod.E. toes.]
1. pl. The tips of the toes; almost always in phr. on or upon (one's) tiptoes, denoting a posture (in standing or walking) with the heels raised so that the body is supported upon the tips or balls of the toes. (Now more usually on tiptoe: see 2.)
| c 1386 Chaucer Nun's Pr. T. 487 He moste wynke..And stonden on his tiptoon [v.rr. typton, typtoon, typtoos, tiptos] ther-with-al, And strecche forth his nekke long and smal. ? c 1400 Lydg. æsop's Fab. i. 44 [The cock] On his typton disposyd for to syng. 1513 Douglas æneis ix. xii. 53 Standand on his typtays. 1573–80 Baret Alv. G 368 To go soft and faire on his tippetoes. 1591 Spenser M. Hubberd 1009 Vpon his tiptoes nicely he vp went. 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. iii. ix. 171 He needs to stand on tiptoes that hopes to touch the moon. 1712 Spect. No. 460 ¶7 Gallantry strutting upon his Tip-toes. a 1845 Hood As it fell upon a Day ii, And then upon her tiptoes jumping. |
| transf. 1848 Tennyson in Ld. Tennyson Mem. (1897) I. xiii. 281 We arrived at the banks of the loch, and made acquaintance with the extremest tiptoes of the hills. |
b. fig.: usually in reference to expectation or eagerness (formerly to pretension or haughtiness).
| 1579 Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 550/1 Because men stand willingly vppon their tiptoes, and thinke no man worthie to haue preheminence aboue his fellowes. 1639 Fuller Holy War ii. ix. (1840) 60 All stood on the tiptoes of expectation. 1651 N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. ii. xxvii. (1739) 125 The minds of men are at a gaze; their Affections and Passions are on their Tiptoes. 1682 N. O. Boileau's Lutrin i. 333 Their fligg'ring Souls do now on Tiptoes stand. |
2. sing. The tips of the toes collectively; almost always in phr. on tiptoe or upon tiptoe (cf. 1).
| c 1440 [see b]. 1525 W. Smith Wido Edyth in Laneham's Let. (1871) p. xlv, Than Wa[l]ter stode on tipto, and gan him self avance. 1607 Davies Summa Totalis B ij b, But when we stand on Tip-toe, or a Ball, (Though sliding still) we finally must fall. 1760–72 H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) IV. 124 [He] entered my chamber on tip-toe. 1833 L. Ritchie Wand. by Loire 164 Standing on tiptoe, [he] looked into one of the windows. 1861 Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. xxxii, He followed his cousin on tip-toe. |
b. transf. and fig.: cf. 1 b. (Often the tiptoe.)
| c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. xi. 46 And right so on the typto [v.r. tiptoo] lete hem [vines] gey. 1602 Marston Antonio's Rev. iv. iii, Your eyes should sparkle joy, Your bosome rise on tiptoe at this news. 1642 Milton Apol. Smect. iv. Wks. 1738 I. 118 What with putting his fancy to the tiptoe in this description of himself. 1799 Nelson in Nicolas Disp. (1845) III. 374 We are on the tip-toe of expectation. 1860–1 F. Nightingale Nursing 38 Do not keep his expectation on the tip-toe. |
c. a-tiptoe = on tiptoe: see a-tiptoe.
B. adv. Short for on or a-tiptoe: see 2 above.
| 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. v. 10 Nights Candles are burnt out, and Iocond day Stands tipto on the mistie Mountaines tops. 1612 Two Noble K. i. ii. 57 To go tip-toe Before the streete be foule. 1821 Clare Vill. Minstr. I. 186 Then tiptoe round the maidens bound, All sorrow lags behind. 1854 Emerson Soc. Aims Wks. (Bohn) III. 182 It is not that they wish you to stand tiptoe, and pump your brains. |
C. adj. Standing or walking, or characterized by standing or walking, on tiptoe.
| 1593 [see b]. 1744 H. Brooke Love & Van. 120 Why, what unfashion'd stuff you tell us Of buckram dames and tiptoe fellows! 1781 Cowper Expost. 84 With tip-toe step Vice silently succeeds. 1801 M. Edgeworth Gd. French Gov. (1831) 146 Grace..made her tiptoe approaches. 1848 Mrs. Gaskell Mary Barton ii, He, with habitual tip-toe step, approached the poor frail body. |
b. transf. and fig. in various senses: e.g. straining upwards, ambitious; eagerly expectant; tripping, dancing; silent, stealthy.
| 1593 Nashe Christ's T. Wks. (Grosart) IV. 122 Hath no chyld of Pryde so many Disciples as thys tiptoe Ambition. 1789 E. Darwin Bot. Gard. i. 386 You..Bade his bold arm invade the lowering sky, And seize the tiptoe lightnings, ere they fly. 1818 Keats Endymion i. 831 How tiptoe Night holds back her dark-grey hood. 1823 Scott Peveril iv, The Cavaliers..were filling the principal avenue to the Castle with tiptoe mirth and revelry. 1879 G. Meredith Egoist xii, Man or maid sleeping in the open air provokes your tip-toe curiosity. |
D. Comb. of the adv., as † tiptoe-nice (so nice or particular as to walk on tiptoe), † tiptoe-strouting, tiptoe-tripping adjs.
| 1593 Nashe Christ's T. Wks. (Grosart) IV. 218 So typtoe-nyce in treading on the earth, as though they walkt vpon Snakes. 1600 S. Nicholson Acolastus (1876) 39 Their tipto-tripping pace bred double mazing. 1602 2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass. iii. iv. 1386 To honour me: For my high tiptoe strouting poesye. |
▪ II. ˈtiptoe, v.
[f. prec.]
1. intr. To raise oneself or stand on tiptoe.
| a 1661 B. Holyday Juvenal vi. (1673) 101 Then a girle-pygmie shee's more dwarf..and tiptoes for a kisse and flout. 1851 J. H. Newman Cath. in Eng. 243 They crowd up together,..tiptoeing and staring, and making strange faces. 1888 Century Mag. Nov. 90/1 The..girls..left their seats to tiptoe and look over each other's shoulders. |
2. To go or walk on tiptoe; to step or trip lightly. Also to tiptoe it.
| 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) VI. xxv. 104 Mabell tiptoed it to her door. 1883 E. C. Rollins New Eng. Bygones 62, I tiptoe across the fragile floor and look out. 1897 Howells Landl. Lion's Head 68 Ladies..lifting their skirts and tiptoeing through the dew. |
Hence ˈtiptoed ppl. a., (a) raised on tiptoe; also fig., rising aloft; (b) performed on tiptoe; ˈtiptoeing ppl. a., standing or going on tiptoe.
| 1632 Lithgow Trav. x. 499 Meandring Forth from tip⁓toed Snadoun, the prospicuous mirrour for matchlesse Maiesty. 1682 D'Urfey Butler's Ghost 92 To please the tip⁓toed Girl of Ten. 1819 Metropolis III. 164 Eagle-eyed curiosity staring you in the face, tip-toed anxiety standing on either hand. a 1847 Eliza Cook Rory O'More viii, His tip-toeing feet seemed inclined for a jig. |