van top tot teen

Dutch

Alternative forms
  • van top tot toon (archaic, dialectal)
  • van kop tot teen (Belgium)

Etymology

Literally in current usage, “from top to toe”, but historically the meaning was “from top to toes”.[1]

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /vɑn tɔp tɔt teːn/

Prepositional phrase

van top tot teen

  1. head to toe, head to foot, from top to bottom
    Hij zat van top tot teen onder de modder.
    He was covered in mud from head to toe.

References
  1. Philippa, Marlies, Debrabandere, Frans, Quak, Arend, Schoonheim, Tanneke, van der Sijs, Nicoline (2003–2009) Etymologisch woordenboek van het Nederlands (in Dutch), Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, "teen".
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