Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US black) dancing, esp. of a high standard.

1953

L. Durst Jives of Dr. Hepcat (1989) 5: An upstate guy wigs you with some most burnt toeology, the whole party is gapping and clapping making you most understand that the dancer is ace hi, on the main stem. And one ‘tip toe Joe’ that’s in the know.

see toe-jam n.

1. (Aus Und.) a criminal who specializes in preying on other successful, and thus wealthy, criminals [from a violent Sydney gang who tortured victims by amputating their toes in order to make them hand over money].

[1974		Calgary Herald (Alberta, Can.) 26 Apr. 7/2: The Toecutters gained notoriety by torturing members of a gang which held up an armored car in Sydney in 1970 and escaped with $587,890].
1986		R. Beckett Dinkum Aussie Dict. 53: Toecutter: A standover man who literally chops people’s feet off to indicate, in a jovial fashion, that they have rather stepped out of line. In the political terminology one who is extremely ruthless.
1996		W. Gibson Idoru (1997) 151: ‘Toe-cutter’ is a related term. When they tell him what he wants to know, he kills them.
2013		D. Whish-Wilson Zero at the Bone [ebook] Protection from the toe-cutters too, those bastards who hunted other robbers.
2018		G. Disher Kill Shot [ebook] ‘How would I know who his old crowd is?’ ‘Guys with a certain look, Brad [...] Toe cutters’.

2. (US) an aggressively selfish and single-minded individual.

1986

see sense 1.

an unpleasant or dirty person.

1923		J. Manchon Le Slang.
1975		J. Carr Bad (1995) 103: The boys in the tank gave the cop a lot of verbal shit for busting me, but it didn’t matter to that toe-headed asshole.

see separate entries.

(US black) a party game whereby all the women present line up behind a sheet with nothing visible but their toes. The men then take turns to choose their preferred toes and pair off accordingly.

1935

Z.N. Hurston Mules and Men (1995) 14: Ah certainly would like to go to that toe-party.

(gay) a foot fetishist.

1970		J.P. Stanley ‘Homosexual Sl.’ in AS XLV:1/2 53: The most popular compound formation involves some nouns plus queen [...] toe queen, felch queen, body queen, watch queen.
1972		R.A. Wilson Playboy’s Book of Forbidden Words 127: Goosing is never compared to the activities of [... toe queens or bondage-and-boot maniacs.

see separate entries.

see toe-ragger n.

(Aus.) an infantryman.

1900

Bulletin (Sydney) 8 Dec. 28/2: On foot they journeyed never, ‘Grabbies’ or ‘toe-soldiers’ might ‘mud-crush,’ but not ‘gentlemen-hussars’ with red gold belted around their waists.

(US) a kick (in the posterior).

1863

Criminal Life (NY) 19 Dec. n.p.: Billy S—h [...] is admonished to keep away from a certain engine house or he may get a little toe soup.

to die.

1820		‘Peter Corcoran’ ‘King Tims the First’ in Fancy 34: Now may I see a neighbour cock his toe – / Walk by his side in black – in well paid woe!
1859		Matsell Vocabulum.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1895		Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 18: Cock Up His Toes, to die.
1935		A.J. Pollock Und. Speaks 23/1: Cocked his toes, the victim died from the effects of having been shot in a robbery or hold-up.
2016		N. Cummins Adventures of the Honey Badger [ebook] VITAL AUSSIE VERNACULAR Dead: 1. Carked it 2. Kissed the concrete 3. Lights out 4. Wheels up 5. Bit the dust 6. Cashed in her chips 7. Curled up the toes 8. Pulled the pin.

(UK black) to run (away).

2016		1011 ‘Next Up?’ 🎵 Catch me a opp then stab up his head / Then ten toes back to the Grove.
2017		Big Shaq ‘Man Not Hot’ 🎵 On the road doin’ ten toes, like my toes (like my toes) / You man thought I froze, I see a peng girl, then I pose (chilin').

see take to the toe

to run away, to escape.

1998

K. Sampson Awaydays 108: The others give it toes with the second standoff.

to kick someone.

1940

S. Sterling ‘Ten Carats of Lead’ in Black Mask Stories (2010) 232/1: Don’t waste time giving him the toe, Gorilla. Use the pipe.

(UK Und.) to run away, to escape.

1958		F. Norman Bang To Rights 124: He had been transferd because he had had it on his toes and was out for three months.
1970		‘Metropolitan Police Sl.’ in P. Laurie Scotland Yard (1972) 323: have it on the toes, to: run away.
1996		K. Lette Mad Cows 120: Cassells lost her bottle. Came back. Grabbed him. Then had it on her toes.
1996		(con. 1964-65) B. Thorpe Sex and Thugs and Rock ’n’ Roll 193: A couple of knockabouts deftly took it on the toe.
2001		D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 190/2: take it on the toe v. to escape from prison or police custody.
2002		J. Cameron Hell on Hoe Street 114: Break his way out I reckon, have it on his toes.
2011		J.J. Connolly Viva La Madness 40: I had to have it on my toes outta London.

(Aus.) to run off, escape.

1983		J. Byrell (con. 1959) Up the Cross 10: Anyway, me old [...] We gotta hit the toe. I’m not hangin’ on’.
1984		B. Ellem Doing Time 191: hit the toe: escape.
1996		(con. 1964-65) B. Thorpe Sex and Thugs and Rock ’n’ Roll 331: ‘If he hasn’t hit the toe he’s desperate’.

1. ready and alert.

1908		K. McGaffey Sorrows of a Show Girl Ch. ix: You’ve got to be on your toes in this game and play no steady system.
1921		Dos Passos Three Soldiers 56: If the sergeant had heard him crabbing, it might have spoiled his chances for a corporalship. He must be careful. If he just watched out and kept on his toes, he’d be sure to get it.
1939		B. Appel Power-House 14: Wasn’t that proof Brain Guy was on his toes.
1953		E. Hunter ‘Vicious Circle’ in Jungle Kids (1967) 32: You had to stay on your toes all the time, and Julie had dropped his guard.
1961		(con. 1950s) C. Barbeau Ikon 55: All right, you guys: from here on out, on your toes!
1972		O. Hawkins Ghetto Sketches 22: ‘Be careful downtown. You know how them honkies can be.’ ‘I’m always on my toes, you know that.’.
1996		R. Doyle Woman Who Walked Into Doors 90: It would keep me on my toes, knowing that someone knew what I was up to.

2. quickly.

1917

F. Packard Adventures of Jimmie Dale (1918) 133: Beat it on yer toes fer the front of the house!

3. (also on the toe) on the run, fleeing justice.

1958		F. Norman in Vogue Oct. in Norman’s London (1969) 37: These geezers had it away on their toes a bit sharpish.
1962		F. Norman Guntz 91: I had it away out of the door on my toes a bit lively.
1978		F. Norman Dead Butler Caper 41: He’d had it away on his toes a bit lively and disappeared off the face of the earth.
1986		J. Campbell Gate Fever 109: The prisoner was ‘on his toes’ for several weeks before being arrested in London.
1991		R.G. Barrett Between the Devlin 85: [I]t might be best if he got on the toe before he brought himself undone.
1998		R.G. Barrett Mud Crab Boogie (2013) [ebook] Coyne was on the toe to parts unknown.
1999		Indep. 17 July 12: A number of [...] London heavies who were ‘on their toes’ (fugitives from the British police).
2001		J. King White Trash 167: You were lucky, on your toes before the boys with him had a chance to do you some real damage.

4. in the process of leaving.

1975

‘P.B. Yuill’ Hazell and the Three-card Trick (1977) 119: Bonnie the dog-eye give us the ofice that the Old Bill’s loomin’ so we’re on our toes.

1. (UK tramp) travelling as a beggar.

1909

W.H. Davies Beggars 104: On the road – on the toe.

2. see on one’s toes

(Aus.) to request someone to buy a round of drinks.

1899

Truth (Sydney) 3 Apr. 8/3: According to custom, her Ladyship’s toe was ‘raddled.’ I suppose everybody ought to know what that means, but for those who don’t, I will explain. To ‘raddle’ the toe of a visitor to a shearing shed, means that the visitor shouts for the crowd.

(Ulster) to affect, to ‘get into’.

1997

Share Slanguage.

(Aus./N.Z.) to leave quickly, to run off.

1950		‘No. 35’ Argot in G. Simes DAUS (1993).
1967		‘Whisper All Aussie Dict.’ in Kings Cross Whisper (Sydney) xxxv 6/2: hit the toe: To depart.
1968		J. Alard He who Shoots Last 86: We’ll get on der toe as soon as da race is run. I’ll go and warm up da car.
1982		G. Newbold Big Huey 20: That’s if he hasn’t already switched the whole lot with icing sugar and hit the toe.
1985		R.G. Barrett You Wouldn’t Be Dead for Quids (1989) 142: ‘If you want to hit the toe fair enough,’ Les stood up as Mitchell rose to leave.
1992		R.G. Barrett White Shoes 97: Price [...] suggested they get it on the toe, saying they had other deliveries to make.
1996		J. Byrell Lairs, Urgers & Coat-Tuggers 85: [S]o more than a month after his 18th birthday, Ern Threfall, after a solid and teary-mother family confab, hit the toe for Sydney [ibid.] 232: [H]er dad was a pisspot who gambled away all the family funds and assets before hitting the toe and disappearing for the duration.

(US und.) dead.

2021

S.A. Crosby Razorblade Tears 119: ‘I’m gonna put them ten toes up’.

(Aus.) to die.

1901

Bulletin (Sydney) 7 Dec. 18/3: ‘Now, don’t you believe I believed you’d threw in your toe, Joe?’ / ‘Yes,’ he said; ‘but it’s a pretty fix all round.’.

(UK Und.) to escape.

1977		G.F. Newman Villain’s Tale 26: There was the getaway route to have a look at [...] You could never guarantee what was going to happen with urban traffic [...] But if you worked it out right, you could hopefully toe it away without getting snarled up in traffic and nicked as a result.
1982		G. Newbold Big Huey 199: He managed to escape before he was hurt and toed it to the guardroom.

very fast.

2008		www.myspace.com/tom_saxondale 1 July 🌐 That way the fox will think there’s a big cat in the area, and they vamoose, toes lively.
2009		Calypso Tells All 18 Aug. 🌐 Theresa has been spotted scooping salon products into her Clippy bag, and then, toes lively, out the door without paying.

1. lying dead.

1853		Bell’s Life in Sydney 26 Nov. 3/1: Sister Bet in Union, and feyther toes yup and stiff.
1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor II 95/2: I thought I’d be by this time toes up in a Stepney churchyard [...] and grinning at the lid of an old coffin.
1872		G.P. Burnham Memoirs of the US Secret Service viii: Toes Up, gone under; dead; laid out; finis.
1955		‘Blackie’ Audett Rap Sheet 94: He knowed there was only two ways he would ever leave Leavenworth – over the wall or toes up.

2. ill, indisposed.

1890

Bird o’ Freedom 15 Jan. 3/2: Only one of our parsons is able to officiate to a very limited congregation, the others being all toes up.

see separate entries.

to die.

1896		Regiment 11 Apr. 30/1: Many a long yarn has Pierre spun me about the war [...] declaring that he would greatly like to have another slap at the Crapauds before he ‘“turned up his toes’ .
1986		R.G. Barrett Godson 215: ‘[J]ust as the old bastard was about to get his rocks off, he had a heart attack and turned his toes up’.