toe
Americannoun
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toes
plural
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one of the terminal digits of the human foot.
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an analogous part in certain animals.
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the forepart of the foot or hoof of a horse or the like.
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the forepart of anything worn on the foot, as of a shoe or stocking.
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a part resembling a toe in shape or position.
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Railroads. the end of a frog in front of the point and in the direction of the switch.
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Machinery.
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a journal or part placed vertically in a bearing, as the lower end of a vertical shaft.
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a curved partial cam lifting the flat surface of a follower and letting it drop; wiper.
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Golf. the outer end of the head of a club.
verb (used with object)
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toes,
present (3rd person singular)
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toed,
past participle, past
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toeing
present participle
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to furnish with a toe or toes.
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to touch or reach with the toes.
The pitcher toed the mound, wound up, and threw a fastball.
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to kick with the toe.
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Golf. to strike (the ball) with the toe of the club.
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Carpentry.
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to drive (a nail) obliquely.
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to toenail.
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verb (used without object)
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toes,
present (3rd person singular)
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toed,
past participle, past
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toeing
present participle
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to stand, walk, etc., with the toes in a specified position.
to toe in.
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to tap with the toe, as in dancing.
idioms
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on one's toes, energetic; alert; ready.
The spirited competition kept them on their toes.
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step / tread on someone's toes, to offend (a person); encroach on the territory or sphere of responsibility of (another).
The new employee stepped on a lot of toes when he suggested reorganizing the office.
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toe the line. line.
noun
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any one of the digits of the foot
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the corresponding part in other vertebrates
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the part of a shoe, sock, etc, covering the toes
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anything resembling a toe in shape or position
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the front part of the head of a golf club, hockey stick, etc
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the lower bearing of a vertical shaft assembly
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the tip of a cam follower that engages the cam profile
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informal to begin doing or try something new or unfamiliar
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alert
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to offend or insult a person, esp by trespassing on his or her field of responsibility
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informal to die
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slang speed
a player with plenty of toe
verb
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(tr) to touch, kick, or mark with the toe
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(tr) golf to strike (the ball) with the toe of the club
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(tr) to drive (a nail, spike, etc) obliquely
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(intr) to walk with the toes pointing in a specified direction
to toe inwards
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to conform to expected standards, attitudes, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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toesimple
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toessimple
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have toedperfect
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has toedperfect
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am toeingprogressive
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are toeingprogressive
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is toeingprogressive
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have been toeingperfect progressive
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has been toeingperfect progressive
Past
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toedsimple
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had toedperfect
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was toeingprogressive
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were toeingprogressive
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had been toeingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of toe
before 900; Middle English; Old English tā; cognate with Dutch teen, German Zehe, Old Norse tā
Explanation
Your toes are to your feet what your fingers are to your hands. They're the five digits you have on each foot. Tetrapod, or four-limbed animals, have toes on their feet. The way those toes are used distinguishes these animals from each other. Some, like dogs, are digitigrade, walking on their toes. Humans are plantigrade, meaning we walk with our toes flat against the ground, our weight on the soles of our feet. You can also use toe to mean the front of your shoe, or as a verb meaning "to touch with one's foot."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Ideally, it’s an ongoing relationship with a doctor who can take the time to decode why, for instance, that pain in your toe might be a warning of a serious heart condition.
From Slate ● Aug. 22, 2026
Now stand heel to toe on a firm surface, with your eyes open, for — ideally — 30 seconds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
The effort will let Costco dip a toe in the water of the Medicare business.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
"They all toe the line, and they keep telling me: 'Boris, you get it, don't you? One step in the wrong direction, and we're finished.'"
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
One hand on the table, she pushed at the pail with one bare toe: greenish brown water, a few strands of sea grass, and limpets moving gently.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
The Monetary Authority of Singapore has tightened policy twice this year, and its warnings that the macroeconomic condition remains uncertain should keep investors on their toes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
In retirement, Chuvalo also dipped his toes in acting, appearing in the 1998 comedy film Dirty Work and alongside Jeff Goldblum in the 1986 horror film The Fly.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
Even so, the operation was successful, allowing Masaya to keep all but one of her toes.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 8, 2026
AT&T on Tuesday said it would work with Amazon to deliver satellite internet to business customers as the telecommunications industry looks to keep SpaceX on its toes.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026
I dig my toes into the soles of my shoes.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
The inaugural marathon under Burke’s stewardship took place in 1986, and 11,000 racers toed the starting line, nearly half the size of the long-running and world-famous New York City Marathon that same year.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 30, 2026
Vitello earned a reputation as a brash, fiery leader with unmatched people skills whose teams toed the line between confident and cocky.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 25, 2025
In 2018, Zhang Yiming, the founder of ByteDance, toed the party line after Beijing shut down ByteDance’s jokes app.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 13, 2024
At first, however, she toed the PR line.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2023
But a goalkeeper has fallen, and a wing has toed the ball just enough that it rolls slowly toward the goal line.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
During my three weeks covered in glowing sensors, I found myself toeing the line between mindful self-improvement and algorithmic overload.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026
When it came to shoes, though, Murkowski showed little interest in toeing Trump’s line.
From Slate ● Jun. 5, 2026
Barnett’s outing on the mound was an obstacle much like his routine before toeing the Jackie Robinson Stadium mound.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 30, 2025
In June French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire summoned 75 retailers and consumer groups to a meeting about prices, and has accused manufacturers of not toeing the line on inflation.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2023
“A little,” Jack said, toeing the snowy ground.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
