toe
toe — noun
1. The five finger-shaped parts at the front of the foot that help you stay balance
The five finger-shaped parts at the front of the foot that help you stay balanced when standing or moving. Each toe has a hard outer layer called a toenail on its tip.
Wren stubbed her toe on the wooden chair leg and cried out in pain.
stub + one's toe (+ on/against something)
The doctor asked Imran to wiggle his toes one by one during the checkup.
wiggle one's toes
Sana painted each toenail a different color for the summer beach party.
Mizuki's little toe was bruised after she dropped a heavy book on it.
The toddler curled her tiny toes around the edge of the swimming pool.
- digit
Formal/medical term for any finger or toe; rarely used in everyday speech
文法句型
a toe
toes
the [big/little] toe
用法筆記
The big toe (the innermost and largest) and little toe (the outermost and smallest) are named for their size. When describing an injury, use 'stub your toe' for hitting it against something hard, and 'break your toe' for a bone fracture.
常見錯誤
2. The forward section of a shoe, sock, or other footwear where the toes are placed
The forward section of a shoe, sock, or other footwear where the toes are placed. This area is sometimes made with stronger material to protect the foot from injury.
A hole appeared in the toe of Noa's left sock after the long hike.
toe of [garment] — possessive genitive
Esteban bought steel-toe boots for his new job at the warehouse.
compound: steel-toe boots
The leather at the toe of Christopher's dress shoes was scratched from the gravel path.
These running socks have reinforced toes to prevent blisters on long distances.
Indra rested the toe of her boot against the rock ledge for balance.
- tip
More general term for the pointed end of an object; less specific to footwear
- heel
The back part of a shoe or sock that covers the heel of the foot
文法句型
the toe of [garment]
steel-toe [boot/shoe]
3. A narrow end piece of an object, structure, or natural feature that projects out
A narrow end piece of an object, structure, or natural feature that projects outward or sits at the very bottom. For example, the lower edge of a cliff or the working tip of a tool.
The toe of the cliff hung over the ocean far below the hikers.
toe of [natural feature]
Ziad used the toe of the metal bar to lift the heavy grate.
toe of [tool] — working end
Rainwater collected at the toe of the dam after the three-day storm.
Workers reinforced the toe of the dam with extra concrete after the flood.
文法句型
the toe of [object/structure]
用法筆記
This sense appears most often in technical or descriptive writing about geography, tools, or construction. In everyday conversation, the body-part sense is far more common.
toe — verb
1. To obey rules or follow orders exactly, even when you disagree with them, becaus
To obey rules or follow orders exactly, even when you disagree with them, because you are expected to do so by someone with authority.
The new employees were told to toe the line during their training period.
fixed phrase: toe the line
Imran chose to toe the party line in public but argued for change in private meetings.
toe the party line — political context
Tariro refused to toe the line and called for a vote on the new policy instead.
The team knew they had to toe the line if they wanted to keep their jobs after the merger.
文法句型
toe the line
toe the party line
toe the company line
用法筆記
This is a fixed phrase — you cannot replace 'line' with another word or add an object after it. 'Toe the party line' is a common variation meaning to follow a political group's official position. Do not confuse with 'tow the line' — the correct spelling is 'toe.'
常見錯誤
2. To touch, push, or move something lightly using the end of your foot or toe, esp
To touch, push, or move something lightly using the end of your foot or toe, especially in sports or dance.
The midfielder toed the ball sideways to her teammate near the goal.
toe + ball [sports]
The dancer toed the wooden floor gently before beginning her slow spin.
Christopher toed a loose pebble across the pavement while waiting for the bus.
Nkechi toed the soccer ball toward the goal but the goalkeeper caught it.
文法句型
toe + object
用法筆記
In soccer, 'toe-poke' is a specific term for kicking the ball with the toe rather than the side of the foot. This sense overlaps with the intransitive use in dance instructions.
3. To stand or move with your toes pointing in a specified direction, such as outwa
To stand or move with your toes pointing in a specified direction, such as outward, inward, or forward.
The ballet teacher told the beginners to toe outward in fifth position.
toe outward — dance instruction
Mei toed in slightly as she walked, her feet pointing toward each other.
toe in — feet pointing inward (gait)
Jin toed out as he took his first wobbly steps across the living room.
Élise practiced each morning to toe outward in her ballet exercises.
文法句型
toe + adverb of direction
toe + in/out
用法筆記
Most often used in dance instruction ('toe out', 'toe in') and in the set phrase 'toe the line' in its literal athletic sense (placing the toes at the starting mark). The verb is rarely used outside of these two contexts.