🗓️ Idiom: Dip Your Toe in the Water (v)
💬 Meaning
- To try something out on a small scale to see if you like it or if it works.
- It refers to testing or experimenting with something before making a bigger commitment.
🧠 Example Sentences
- She dipped her toe in the water by freelancing part-time before quitting her job.
- We’re just dipping our toes in the water with this new market before fully launching.
- Before committing to the merger, the company dipped its toe in the water with a small partnership.
🏛️ Origin
This idiom comes from the act of testing the temperature of water with a toe before jumping in. It has evolved to describe testing new experiences or ventures with caution or curiosity.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
They didn’t go all-in at first. They just __________ by investing a small amount.
Answer
dipped their toe in the water
2. Choose the correct meaning of “dip your toe in the water”:
A) To avoid making a decision
B) To cautiously try something new
C) To cancel a plan suddenly
Answer
B) To cautiously try something new
3. Rewrite the sentence using: Dip Your Toe in the Water.
“He tried teaching by volunteering for a weekend class.”
Answer
He dipped his toe in the water by volunteering for a weekend class.
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Rob is a CELTA qualified English teacher with 15 years of international experience. He has a BSc and PGDip from Loughborough and St Andrews universities in the UK. He has taught in Thailand and Saudi Arabia and now works with professionals worldwide.
