toe

Each of the five digits on the end of the human foot.

Noun

  1. Each of the five digits on the end of the human foot.
    • An old traditional prescription for provoking erotic inclinations ran as follows, The toe of the foot of a man, anointed with oil, or honey, or the ashes of a weasel. - 1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs,...
  2. The equivalent part in an animal.

    Hyponyms: hoof

  3. That part of a shoe or sock covering the toe.
  4. Something resembling a toe, especially at the bottom or extreme end of something.
    • (golf) the extreme end of the head of a club.
    • (hurling) the end of a hurley.
    • (cricket) the tip of the bat farthest from the handle
  5. An advanced form of ballet primarily performed by women, wearing pointe shoes.
  6. An alignment of the wheels of a road vehicle, either positive (toe in), meaning the wheels are closer together at the front than at the back, or negative (toe out), the other way round.
  7. The journal, or pivot, at the lower end of a revolving shaft or spindle, which rests in a step.
  8. A lateral projection at one end, or between the ends, of a piece, such as a rod or bolt, by means of which it is moved.
  9. A projection from the periphery of a revolving piece, acting as a cam to lift another piece.
  10. The long side of an angled cut.
  11. The upper end of the bit (cutting edge) of an axehead; as opposed to the heel (lower end).
  12. A cameltoe.

Origin

From Middle English to, from Old English tā, (Mercian) tāhe, from Proto-West Germanic *taihā, from Proto-Germanic *taihwǭ, from *tīhwaną (“to show, announce”), from Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ- (“to show”). Cognate with Dutch teen, German Zehe, Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish tå, Faroese and Icelandic tá; also Old English teōn (“to accuse”), German zeihen (“to accuse, blame”); see also Hittite [script needed] (tekkuššāi), Latin dīcere (“to say”), digitus (“finger”), Ancient Greek δείκνυμι (deíknumi, “to point out, show”), Sanskrit दिदेष्टि (dídeṣṭi), दिशति (diśáti).

Forms

toes

Antonyms

heel tail

Hyponyms

hallux big toe great toe large toe second toe long toe third toe middle toe ring toe fourth toe fifth toe little toe pinky toe baby toe tiny toe

Derived

big toe blue toe syndrome camel toe claw toe closed-toe COVID toes crowtoe deertoe dip a toe into dip one's toe in dip one's toe in the water even-toed finger-and-toe head to toe top to toe grinch toe hammer toe hammertoe head-to-toe heel-and-toe toe-and-heel little toe mallet toe mistle-toe

Verb

  1. To furnish (a stocking, etc.) with a toe.
  2. To touch, tap or kick with the toes.
    • "Here's ten shillings for you, but I'm going to toe your backside first!" said Manna. And the Dane let him kick away; his yellow teeth gleamed in a servile grin and then he clutched at the money. - 1927, Nordahl Grieg,...
    • Just five minutes later the turnaround was complete when Arshavin toed the ball through to Bendtner, who slotted into the left corner from close range just before half-time. - 2010 December 29, Mark Vesty, “Wigan 2 - 2...
  3. To touch or reach with the toes; to come fully up to.
    • to toe the mark
  4. To fasten (a piece) by driving a fastener at a near-45-degree angle through the side (of the piece) into the piece to which it is to be fastened.
    • The framers toed the irregular pieces into the sill.
  5. To mishit a golf ball with the toe of the club.

Forms

toes toeing toed

Related

hang five hang ten tiptoe TOE

Derived

toe the line toe the plank toe the rubber