atiptoe

See also: a-tiptoe

English

WOTD – 10 September 2022

Etymology

A ballet dancer atiptoe (adjective sense), or dancing en pointe.

From a- (prefix meaning ‘at; in; on’, used to show a condition, manner, or state) +‎ tiptoe.^[1]

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əˈtɪptəʊ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /əˈtɪptoʊ/
• Hyphenation: atip‧toe

Adverb

atiptoe (not comparable)

1. On tiptoe; on the tips of one's toes in order to move quietly or to stand taller.

   Synonyms: (ballet) en pointe, (rare) tiptoeingly

   • 1657, Plutarch, “Of the Romans Fortune”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Philosophy, Commonly Called, The Morals […], revised edition, London: […] S[arah] G[riffin] for J. Kirton, […], →OCLC, page 517:

     [T]he gate of going of Fortune ſeems quick and faſt, her ſpirit great, and courage proud, her hopes high and haughty: ſhe over-goeth Vertue, and approacheth neer at hand already; not mounting and lifting up her ſelfe now with her light and flight wings, not ſtanding a tiptoe upon a round ball or boule commeth ſhe wavering and doubtful; and then goeth her way afterwards in diſcontentment and diſpleasure: […]

   • 1695, [Jakob Abbadie], “Of the Two Last Characters of Pride, which are Ambition and Contempt of Ones Neighbour”, in [anonymous], transl., The Art of Knowing Ones Self: Or, A Diligent Search into the Springs of Morality. The Second Part. […], London: […] E. J. for R. Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 194:

     We content not our ſelves with ſtanding a tiptoe for to appear greater than others; we ſtrive ſtill either to make them fall, or for to abaſe them for to appear greater by their abaſement.

   • 1713, William King, The Northern Atalantis: Or, York Spy. […], 2nd edition, London: […] A. Baldwin […], →OCLC, page 28:

     [W]hilſt we were drinking a Glaſs of Wine, in came four of the Gang with their Hats ſtanding a Tiptoe on their Heads, and cock'd up, as if the Brims were Nail'd to the Crowns, with a whole Smith's Shop about their Swords, and a Tanners Warehouſe about their middle.

   • 1751, [Tobias] Smollett, “The Memoirs of a Lady of Quality”, in The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC, page 260, column 1:

     When I rallied him for viſiting me in ſuch a diſhabille, he ſtood a tiptoe to view himſelf in the glaſs; and owning I was in the right, ſaid that he would go and dreſs himſelf before dinner.

   • 1822, [Walter Scott], chapter VI, in Peveril of the Peak. […], volume IV, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 122:

     Our impatient friend scrambled, with some difficulty, on the top of the bench intended for his seat; and there, "paining himself to stand a-tiptoe," like [Geoffrey] Chaucer's gallant Sir Chaunticlere, he challenged the notice of the audience as he stood bowing and claiming acquaintance of his namesake, Sir Geoffrey the larger, with whose shoulders, notwithstanding his elevated situation, he was scarcely yet upon a level.

   • 1859, Charles Dickens, “A Sight”, in A Tale of Two Cities, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, book II (The Golden Thread), page 40:

     [P]eople on the floor of the court, laid their hands on the shoulders of the people before them, to help themselves, at anybody's cost, to a view of him—stood a-tiptoe, got upon ledges, stood upon next to nothing, to see every inch of him.

   • 1868, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], “Book III”, in The Spanish Gypsy: A Poem, Edinburgh, London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, page 224:

     Moving a-tiptoe, silent as the elves, / As mischievous too, trip three bare-footed girls / Not yet opened to womanhood— […]

   • 1871 September 1, Robert Lord Lytton, “The Thistle”, in Fables in Song, volume I, Edinburgh, London: William Blackwood and Sons, published 1874, →OCLC, prelude, page 15:

     The timorous cowslips, one by one, / Trembling, chilly, atiptoe stand / On little hillocks and knolls alone; […]

2. (figuratively)
   1. Quietly, and little by little.
      • 1749, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, “A Pleasant Account of the Puppet-play, with Other Very Good Things Truly”, in [Peter Anthony] Motteux, transl., edited by [John] Ozell, The History of the Renowned Don Quixote de la Mancha. […], 8th edition, volume III, London: […] W[illiam] Innys, […], →OCLC, part II, page 204:

        Don't you ſee that Moor who comes a tiptoe creeping and ſtealing along with his finger in his mouth behind Meliſandra? Hear what a ſmack he gives on her ſweet lips, and ſee how ſhe ſpits and wipes her mouth with her white ſmock-ſleeve!

      • 1890, H[enry] B[rereton] Marriott Watson, “The Acre Pool”, in Lady Faint-heart […], volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, →OCLC, page 151:

        But silence fell upon her atiptoe mid her thoughts, straining for the great truth of moral conduct in a world of shams and convention.

   2. Without retreating from adversity, confrontation, or danger; standing tall; bravely, proudly, unyieldingly.
      • 1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii], page 86, column 2:

        This day is call'd the Feaſt of Criſpian: / He that out-liues this day, and comes ſafe home, / Will ſtand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd, / And rowſe him at the Name of Criſpian.

      • 1622 May 11 (Gregorian calendar), James Howell, “XV. A Survey of the Seventeen Provinces.”, in Epistolæ Ho-Elianæ. Familiar Letters Domestic and Forren. […], 3rd edition, volume I, London: […] Humphrey Mos[e]ley, […], published 1655, →OCLC, section II, page 80:

        [T]he Spaniard ſtood as high a tiptoe as ever, and notwithſtanding the vaſt expence of treaſure and blood he had been at for ſo many years, and that matters began to exaſperate more and more, which were like to prolong the Wars in infinitum, he would abate nothing in point on Eccleſiaſtick Government: […]

      • 1640, I. H. [i.e., James Howell], “A Character of Lurana”, in ΔΕΝΔΡΟΛΟΓΊΑ [DENDROLOGIA]. Dodona’s Grove, or, The Vocall Forrest, London: […] T[homas] B[adger] for H. Mosley [i.e., Humphrey Moseley] […], →OCLC, page 53:

        Druina’s Majeſty never ſtood ſo high a tiptoe, nor ſhind vvith a greater luſtre; […]

      • 1696 November (first performance), [John Vanbrugh], The Relapse; or, Virtue in Danger: […], [London]: […] Samuel Briscoe […], published 1697, →OCLC, Act III, scene ii, page 54:

        O, a Woman can do a great deal, if once ſhe ſets her mind to it. Therefore pray don't ſtand trifling any longer, and teaſing your ſelf with this and that, and your Love and your Vertue, and I know not what. But reſolve to hold up your Head, get a Tiptoe, and look over 'em all; […]

   3. In a state of anticipation; keenly awaiting.
      • 1837, Thomas Carlyle, “The Three Votings”, in The French Revolution: A History […], volume III (The Guillotine), London: James Fraser, […], →OCLC, book II (The Paper Age), page 141:

        Consider therefore if, on this Wednesday morning, there is an affluence of Patriotism; if Paris stands a-tiptoe, and all Deputies are at their post! […] Meanwhile expectant Patriotism and Paris standing a-tiptoe, have need of patience.

      • 1862 September 6, “Italy”, in The Illustrated London News, volume XLI, number 1163, London: […] George C. Leighton […], →OCLC, page 254, column 1:

        [A]ll Europe now stands atiptoe, anxiously watching for the what next.

Alternative forms

• a-tiptoe

Translations

on the tips of one’s toes — see on tiptoe

quietly, and little by little

without retreating from adversity, confrontation, or danger — see bravely,‎ proudly,‎ unyieldingly

in a state of anticipation

Adjective

atiptoe (not comparable)

1. On tiptoe; moving or standing on the tips of one's toes.

   Synonyms: tiptoe, tiptoeing

   • 1885, A[deline] D[utton] T[rain] Whitney, “Along the Riverside”, in Bonnyborough […], volume II, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, page 31:

     [S]he swept back with her hand the hem of her dress, and showed one little foot atiptoe behind the heel of the other.

2. (figuratively) In a state of anticipation; keenly awaiting.
   • 1605, The First Part of Ieronimo. […]‎, London: […] Thomas Pauyer, […], →OCLC:

     O could I meete andrea, now my blouds a tiptoe. / This hand and ſword ſhould melt him: / Valliant Don Pedro.

   • 1753, “FASHION”, in The Dictionary of Love. […], London: […] R[alph] Griffiths, […], →OCLC:

     The Counteſs of Light-airs has taken an unaccountable fancy to ſome coxcomb as worthleſs as herſelf. This is ſpread about, and the curioſity of all the coquettes is a tiptoe, to know whether a woman, who paſſes for a knowing one, is in the right to have made ſuch a choice.

   • 1779, [John Moore], “Letter LIX”, in A View of Society and Manners in France, Switzerland, and Germany: With Anecdotes Relating to Some Eminent Characters. […], volume II, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC, pages 93–94:

     […] I once ſaw a corpulent general-officer ſtart ſuddenly, as if he had ſeen ſomething preternatural. […] While all the ſpectators were a tiptoe to obſerve the iſſue of this phenomenon, he arrived at the ranks, and in great wrath, which probably had been augmented by the heat acquired in his courſe, he pulled off one of the ſoldier's hats, which it ſeems had not been properly cocked, and adjuſted it to his mind.

Alternative forms

• a-tiptoe

Translations

moving or standing on the tips of one’s toes — see on tiptoe

References

1. “a-tiptoe, adv.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, March 2021.

Further reading

• tiptoe on Wikipedia.Wikipedia