Adjective
tiptoe (not comparable)
- Standing elevated, on or as if on the tips of one's toes.
c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v]:Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day / Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.
1955 October 20, J[ohn] R[onald] R[euel] Tolkien, “Minas Tirith”, in The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of The Lord of the Rings […], New York, N.Y.: Ballantine Books, published December 1978, →ISBN, book V, page 39:And ever as they talked Beregond was more amazed, and looked with greater wonder at the hobbit, swinging his short legs as he sat on the seat, or standing tiptoe upon it to peer over the sill at the lands below.
- Moving carefully, quietly, warily or stealthily, on or as if on the tips of one's toes.
1819, Lord Byron, The Prophecy of Dante:And stole along on tiptoe tread
Verb
tiptoe (third-person singular simple present tiptoes, present participle tiptoeing, simple past and past participle tiptoed)
- (intransitive) To walk quietly with only the tips of the toes touching the ground. [from late 14th C.]
1929, “Tiptoe Through the Tulips”, Al Dubin (lyrics), Joe Burke (music), performed by Nick Lucas:Tiptoe through the window / By the window, that is where I'll be / Come tiptoe through the tulips with me / Tiptoe from your pillow / To the shadow of the willow tree / And tiptoe through the tulips with me.