tippy
tippy — adjective
- tippypositive
- tippiercomparative
- tippiestsuperlative
1. describes an object that is not properly balanced so it rocks or falls over easi
describes an object that is not properly balanced so it rocks or falls over easily when you put weight on it or press against it
Wei warned his friends that the old folding chair was tippy and could fall over.
collocation: tippy chair / tippy stool
Sofia's small canoe felt tippy when she stood up to reach for the paddle.
The stack of plates on the counter looked tippy, so Dmitri moved them.
Amina said the old ladder was too tippy for her to climb without help.
- wobbly
more common in everyday speech; 'wobbly' focuses on side-to-side movement, while 'tippy' suggests the whole thing may fall over
- unsteady
broader term that can describe both objects and people; less specific about the risk of tipping
- rickety
suggests old, poorly made, or broken, with the risk of collapsing rather than just tipping
用法筆記
Commonly used of furniture, vehicles, or stacked objects. Not used of people — to describe a person who cannot stand steadily, use unsteady or wobbly instead.
常見錯誤
2. a word used by young children meaning to stand or walk on the front part of the
a word used by young children meaning to stand or walk on the front part of the feet with the heels lifted up, usually to reach something above them or to move without making noise
The little boy went tippy to see what his mother was cooking on the stove.
pattern: go tippy = walk on tiptoe
Keiko walked tippy past her baby brother's door so she would not wake him up.
Hana stood tippy to reach the cookie jar on the top shelf of the kitchen.
Tolani crept tippy down the stairs to surprise her father in the living room.
- on tiptoe
standard adult expression; 'tippy' is the childish equivalent
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively by young children or by adults speaking to children. Not appropriate in formal writing or adult conversation. The standard adult equivalent is on tiptoe or on tiptoes.