van top tot teen
Dutch
Alternative forms
- van top tot toon (archaic, dialectal)
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
- 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
- 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".