to tiptoe
44
3.1
- verb
- /ˈtɪpˌtoʊ/
:
andar de puntillas
- She had to tiptoe past the sleeping dog to avoid waking it.
Lauren Isley once said, I have never entered a wood, but what I hear footsteps in the leaves tiptoeing away.
- Lauren Isley once said, I have never entered a wood, but what I hear footsteps in the leaves tiptoeing away.
- There's definitely no, no, no less than two guys with balaclavas, all black clothing, guns in their hands, trying to, you know, tiptoe to, you know, to my door.
- Well, wait there just he looks tiptoeing around like that.
- So we have tiptoe left, tiptoe right, tiptoe left, right, at the same time tiptoe ampidextrous.
Examples
-
Henry watches Jimmy tiptoe up to the agents' car and rap on the window.
Fiction book (1990) -
A frail child sets a cup of tea down beside him, then tiptoes away quickly.
Fiction book (1992) -
The camera follows them as they tiptoe out of the living room.
Fiction book (1991) -
Then I would slide out of bed, tiptoe to the door, and quietly turn the lock.
Academic text (2009) -
Finally, a little after five, I gave it up and tiptoed into the bathroom with my clothes.
Fiction book (1990) -
The camera follows them as they tiptoe into the darkened living room.
Fiction book (1991) -
My sister walks across the bedroom and tiptoes up to my big brother's top bunk.
Fiction book (1992) -
"See you on Monday," she called in a loud whisper as she tiptoed towards the front door.
Fiction book (1990) -
Fiona's light down the hall was still on, but he tiptoed down the stairs, not to disturb her.
Fiction book (1992) -
In his stocking feet, he tiptoed down the hall and paused outside his mother's room.
Fiction book (1990)
Synonyms
155
2.5
To move slowly and quietly with the body low to the ground
16
6.7
To move quietly and carefully to avoid being seen
9
6.7
To walk quietly on the tips of your toes
5
8.1
To move slowly and quietly to the side to avoid being noticed
To walk quietly on your toes to avoid making noise
To move quietly and carefully to avoid being noticed
Antonyms
Idioms
- Informal
To act very carefully in a difficult situation to avoid mistakes or offend people
How Quiet
Surface Forms
Etymology
Tiptoe as a verb joins tip ('point') and toe ('front of the foot'), so it literally means to move on the tips of your toes. So to tiptoe is to walk quietly and carefully to avoid making a sound.