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Phrase Meanings » on tiptoe
What does "on tiptoe" mean?
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Eagerly anticipating something, as in The children were on tiptoe before the birthday party. [Late 1500s]
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Moving stealthily, warily, as in They went down the hall on tiptoe. [Mid-1700s] Both usages transfer standing on one's toes to a particular reason for doing so; def. 2 alludes to moving more quietly in this fashion.