Toe-dip

Thus Clement Stone, though he has toe-dipped and waded and sometimes plunged into many ventures during the course of a busy life, is still inescapably labeled as an insurance man.

All newcomers who plunged or waded or toe-dipped into the market believed, or at least hoped, they had some special insight or cleverness not granted to anybody else.

Adam, who is admittedly risk-averse, kept his day job for the first 18 months after the family opened its business. During those beginning months, he said he “toe-dipped” in.

First she toe-dipped, and squealed, then timidly let herself down the ladder inch by chilly inch.