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on tiptoe

  1. Eagerly anticipating something, as in The children were on tiptoe before the birthday party . [Late 1500s]

  2. Moving stealthily, warily, as in They went down the hall on tiptoe . [Mid-1700s] Both usages transfer standing on one's toes to a particular reason for doing so; def. 2 alludes to moving more quietly in this fashion.



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