toe

[ toh ]

/ toʊ /

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See synonyms for toe on Thesaurus.com

noun

one of the terminal digits of the human foot.

an analogous part in certain animals.

the forepart of the foot or hoof of a horse or the like.

the forepart of anything worn on the foot, as of a shoe or stocking.

a part resembling a toe in shape or position.

Railroads. the end of a frog in front of the point and in the direction of the switch.

Machinery.

a journal or part placed vertically in a bearing, as the lower end of a vertical shaft.
a curved partial cam lifting the flat surface of a follower and letting it drop; wiper.

Golf. the outer end of the head of a club.

verb (used with object), toed, toe·ing.

to furnish with a toe or toes.

to touch or reach with the toes: The pitcher toed the mound, wound up, and threw a fastball.

to kick with the toe.

Golf. to strike (the ball) with the toe of the club.

Carpentry.

to drive (a nail) obliquely.
to toenail.

verb (used without object), toed, toe·ing.

to stand, walk, etc., with the toes in a specified position: to toe in.

to tap with the toe, as in dancing.

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Idioms about toe

on one's toes, energetic; alert; ready: The spirited competition kept them on their toes.

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.

toe the line. line¹ (def. 83).

Origin of toe

before 900; Middle English; Old English tā; cognate with Dutch teen,German Zehe,Old Norse tā

OTHER WORDS FROM toe

toeless, adjectivetoelike, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH toe

toe , tow

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use toe in a sentence

My sisters and I suited up in head-to-toe PPE to be with my mother for 20 minutes.
Why We Need a Collective Vision to Design the Future of Health|Abner Mason|November 11, 2020|Singularity Hub
With the New Year come New Year’s resolutions, which means there are plenty of shoppers who are dipping their toes into the waters of self-improvement.
Connected TV strategies to capture New Year’s resolution shoppers|Sponsored Content: SteelHouse|November 9, 2020|Search Engine Land
Mind the extremities Fingers and toes are often the first to get cold — and among the biggest risks for frostbite.
Winter camping is not for the faint of heart. Here’s how to do it.|Melanie D.G. Kaplan|November 6, 2020|Washington Post
King said that her team is just “dipping their toes” into bundling with the FT campaign that ran for a couple weeks, ending in mid-October.
How the Washington Post is expanding its global subscriber base|Kayleigh Barber|October 30, 2020|Digiday

Comrad’s products include toe and heel padding, as well as the moisture-absorbing fabric that can keep your feet dry.
Clothing and accessories that make great gifts|PopSci Commerce Team|October 6, 2020|Popular-Science
One startup toeing the line between doomsday preppers and expensive salad aficionados is Garden Fresh Farms.
America’s Next Agricultural Revolution Will Happen Indoors|Sarah Kunst|April 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
With that sentence, he put me right back inside the bubble, tip-toeing through the minefield of the NFL-battered psyche.
Murder Doesn’t Shake NFL’s Dream World of Consequence-Free Violence|Nate Jackson|December 4, 2012|DAILY BEAST
That endows him with significant business gravitas along with a certain freedom from toeing the party line.
Democratic Sen. Mark Warner Defies Party to Engage GOP on a Deficit deal|Linda Killian|December 28, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Murdoch, though, has insisted on toeing the line, even writing a letter to the committee doubling down on his claims.
James Murdoch's Smoking Gun|Mike Giglio|November 2, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The woman ceased from her mysterious foolery, and started tip-toeing toward the door.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Complete|Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
Here and there a wild plum leaned out from the bank like a white-clad girl tip-toeing to her own reflection.
Anne Of Green Gables|Lucy Maud Montgomery
He developed a chronic grouch, and it was not long before he had the two weaker men toeing the mark.
The Trail of '98|Robert W. Service
A fattish child made her way up the walk, toeing out unnecessarily, and let herself in by the back door without knocking.
Turn About Eleanor|Ethel M. Kelley
I more than once heard his scorn of "tip-toeing," and shall be able to give another instance by-and-by.
Memoirs of a Surrey Labourer|George Sturt (AKA George Bourne)

British Dictionary definitions for toe

toe

/ (təʊ) /

noun

any one of the digits of the foot

the corresponding part in other vertebrates

the part of a shoe, sock, etc, covering the toes

anything resembling a toe in shape or position

the front part of the head of a golf club, hockey stick, etc

the lower bearing of a vertical shaft assembly

the tip of a cam follower that engages the cam profile

dip one's toe in or dip one's toes in informal to begin doing or try something new or unfamiliar

on one's toes alert

tread on someone's toes to offend or insult a person, esp by trespassing on his or her field of responsibility

turn up one's toes informal to die

Australian slang speeda player with plenty of toe

verb toes, toeing or toed

(tr) to touch, kick, or mark with the toe

(tr) golf to strike (the ball) with the toe of the club

(tr) to drive (a nail, spike, etc) obliquely

(intr) to walk with the toes pointing in a specified directionto toe inwards

toe the line to conform to expected standards, attitudes, etc

Derived forms of toe

toelike, adjective

Word Origin for toe

Old English tā; related to Old Frisian tāne, Old Norse tā, Old High German zēha, Latin digitus finger

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with toe

toe

In addition to the idiom beginning with toe

toe the line

also see:

dip one's toes into
from head to toe
on one's toes
step on someone's toes
turn up one's toes