| 释义 |
▪ I. tiptoe, tip-toe, n. (adv., a.)|ˈtɪptəʊ|
Forms: pl. 4–5 tiptoon, 5 typtoon, -ton, -toos, tiptos, 6 typtoes, tippetoes, Sc. typtays, typtaes, 6– tiptoes,7– tip-toes; sing. 5 typto, tiptoo, 6 tipto, typtoe, 6– tiptoe, 7– tip-toe.
[f. tip n.1 + toe n., pl. in ME. toon, mod.E. toes.]
1. pl. The tips of the toes; almost always in phr. on or upon (one's) tiptoes, denoting a posture (in standing or walking) with the heels raised so that the body is supported upon the tips or balls of the toes. (Now more usually on tiptoe: see 2.)
c1386Chaucer Nun's Pr. T. 487 He moste wynke..And stonden on his tiptoon [v.rr. typton, typtoon, typtoos, tiptos] ther-with-al, And strecche forth his nekke long and smal. c1400Lydg. æsop's Fab. i. 44 [The cock] On his typton disposyd for to syng. 1513Douglas æneis ix. xii. 53 Standand on his typtays. 1573–80Baret Alv. G 368 To go soft and faire on his tippetoes. 1591Spenser M. Hubberd 1009 Vpon his tiptoes nicely he vp went. 1642Fuller Holy & Prof. St. iii. ix. 171 He needs to stand on tiptoes that hopes to touch the moon. 1712Spect. No. 460 ⁋7 Gallantry strutting upon his Tip-toes. a1845Hood As it fell upon a Day ii, And then upon her tiptoes jumping.
transf.1848Tennyson in Ld. Tennyson Mem. (1897) I. xiii. 281 We arrived at the banks of the loch, and made acquaintance with the extremest tiptoes of the hills.
b. fig.: usually in reference to expectation or eagerness (formerly to pretension or haughtiness).
1579Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 550/1 Because men stand willingly vppon their tiptoes, and thinke no man worthie to haue preheminence aboue his fellowes. 1639Fuller Holy War ii. ix. (1840) 60 All stood on the tiptoes of expectation. 1651N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. ii. xxvii. (1739) 125 The minds of men are at a gaze; their Affections and Passions are on their Tiptoes. 1682N. O. Boileau's Lutrin i. 333 Their fligg'ring Souls do now on Tiptoes stand.
2. sing. The tips of the toes collectively; almost always in phr. on tiptoe or upon tiptoe (cf. 1).
c1440[see b]. 1525W. Smith Wido Edyth in Laneham's Let. (1871) p. xlv, Than Wa[l]ter stode on tipto, and gan him self avance. 1607Davies Summa Totalis B ij b, But when we stand on Tip-toe, or a Ball, (Though sliding still) we finally must fall. 1760–72H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) IV. 124 [He] entered my chamber on tip-toe. 1833L. Ritchie Wand. by Loire 164 Standing on tiptoe, [he] looked into one of the windows. 1861Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. xxxii, He followed his cousin on tip-toe.
b. transf. and fig.: cf. 1 b. (Often the tiptoe.)
c1440Pallad. on Husb. xi. 46 And right so on the typto [v.r. tiptoo] lete hem [vines] gey. 1602Marston Antonio's Rev. iv. iii, Your eyes should sparkle joy, Your bosome rise on tiptoe at this news. 1642Milton Apol. Smect. iv. Wks. 1738 I. 118 What with putting his fancy to the tiptoe in this description of himself. 1799Nelson in Nicolas Disp. (1845) III. 374 We are on the tip-toe of expectation. 1860–1F. Nightingale Nursing 38 Do not keep his expectation on the tip-toe.
c. a-tiptoe = on tiptoe: see a-tiptoe.
B. adv. Short for on or a-tiptoe: see 2 above.
1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. v. 10 Nights Candles are burnt out, and Iocond day Stands tipto on the mistie Mountaines tops. 1612Two Noble K. i. ii. 57 To go tip-toe Before the streete be foule. 1821Clare Vill. Minstr. I. 186 Then tiptoe round the maidens bound, All sorrow lags behind. 1854Emerson Soc. Aims Wks. (Bohn) III. 182 It is not that they wish you to stand tiptoe, and pump your brains.
C. adj. Standing or walking, or characterized by standing or walking, on tiptoe.
1593[see b]. 1744H. Brooke Love & Van. 120 Why, what unfashion'd stuff you tell us Of buckram dames and tiptoe fellows! 1781Cowper Expost. 84 With tip-toe step Vice silently succeeds. 1801M. Edgeworth Gd. French Gov. (1831) 146 Grace..made her tiptoe approaches. 1848Mrs. Gaskell Mary Barton ii, He, with habitual tip-toe step, approached the poor frail body.
b. transf. and fig. in various senses: e.g. straining upwards, ambitious; eagerly expectant; tripping, dancing; silent, stealthy.
1593Nashe Christ's T. Wks. (Grosart) IV. 122 Hath no chyld of Pryde so many Disciples as thys tiptoe Ambition. 1789E. Darwin Bot. Gard. i. 386 You..Bade his bold arm invade the lowering sky, And seize the tiptoe lightnings, ere they fly. 1818Keats Endymion i. 831 How tiptoe Night holds back her dark-grey hood. 1823Scott Peveril iv, The Cavaliers..were filling the principal avenue to the Castle with tiptoe mirth and revelry. 1879G. Meredith Egoist xii, Man or maid sleeping in the open air provokes your tip-toe curiosity.
D. Comb. of the adv., as † tiptoe-nice (so nice or particular as to walk on tiptoe), † tiptoe-strouting, tiptoe-tripping adjs.
1593Nashe Christ's T. Wks. (Grosart) IV. 218 So typtoe-nyce in treading on the earth, as though they walkt vpon Snakes. 1600S. Nicholson Acolastus (1876) 39 Their tipto-tripping pace bred double mazing. 16022nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass. iii. iv. 1386 To honour me: For my high tiptoe strouting poesye.
▪ II. ˈtiptoe, v.
[f. prec.]
1. intr. To raise oneself or stand on tiptoe.
a1661B. Holyday Juvenal vi. (1673) 101 Then a girle-pygmie shee's more dwarf..and tiptoes for a kisse and flout. 1851J. H. Newman Cath. in Eng. 243 They crowd up together,..tiptoeing and staring, and making strange faces. 1888Century Mag. Nov. 90/1 The..girls..left their seats to tiptoe and look over each other's shoulders.
2. To go or walk on tiptoe; to step or trip lightly. Also to tiptoe it.
1748Richardson Clarissa (1811) VI. xxv. 104 Mabell tiptoed it to her door. 1883E. C. Rollins New Eng. Bygones 62, I tiptoe across the fragile floor and look out. 1897Howells Landl. Lion's Head 68 Ladies..lifting their skirts and tiptoeing through the dew.
Hence ˈtiptoed ppl. a., (a) raised on tiptoe; also fig., rising aloft; (b) performed on tiptoe; ˈtiptoeing ppl. a., standing or going on tiptoe.
1632Lithgow Trav. x. 499 Meandring Forth from tip⁓toed Snadoun, the prospicuous mirrour for matchlesse Maiesty. 1682D'Urfey Butler's Ghost 92 To please the tip⁓toed Girl of Ten. 1819Metropolis III. 164 Eagle-eyed curiosity staring you in the face, tip-toed anxiety standing on either hand. a1847Eliza Cook Rory O'More viii, His tip-toeing feet seemed inclined for a jig. |