A toe is a part of your foot. Humans usually have five toes on each foot. You use toes to help walk and keep balance.
He hurt his big toe while running.
She painted her toenails on each toe.
The toe can also mean the front part of a shoe or sock. This part covers and protects the toes of your foot.
My shoe has a strong toe to protect my foot.
The sock's toe is torn and needs mending.
In sports or machines, toe means the front tip or edge of an object, like skis or airplane wings. It is often important for balance or control.
The skier balanced on the toe of the ski.
The airplane's wing has a sharp toe edge.
In vehicle engineering, toe means how the car's wheels point inward or outward. This affects how the car drives and how the tires wear out.
The car's toe needs adjustment for better driving.
Improper toe causes uneven tire wear on cars.
As a verb, to toe means to touch or push something with the toe. It is usually a soft, light movement.
He toed the ball gently forward.
She toed the door open softly.
In sports like soccer, a toe is a kind of kick where the player hits the ball with the tip of the foot. It is often less controlled than other kicks.
He scored a goal with a strong toe.
The player missed because of a bad toe.
Toe is used figuratively in idioms to mean the first small step into something new, like a job or activity. This use is common in phrases like 'toe in the door.'
He got his toe in the door at the company.
She put her toe in the water before deciding.
Sometimes, toe is used informally to mean a small length about one-tenth of an inch. It is not a standard unit but sometimes found in casual speech.
The gap was just one toe wide.
Adjust by a few toes for better fit.
