Word Frequency
touch (tʌtʃ
)
Definitions
noun
- the sense by which the texture and other qualities of objects can be experienced when they come in contact with a part of the body surface, esp the tips of the fingers related adjectives haptic tactile tactual
- the quality of an object as perceived by this sense; feel; feeling
- the act or an instance of something coming into contact with the body
- a gentle push, tap, or caress
- a small amount; hint ⇒
a touch of sarcasm
- a noticeable effect; influence ⇒
the house needed a woman's touch
- any slight stroke or mark ⇒
with a touch of his brush he captured the scene
- characteristic manner or style ⇒
the artist had a distinctive touch
- a detail of some work, esp a literary or artistic work ⇒
she added a few finishing touches to the book
- a slight attack, as of a disease ⇒
a touch of bronchitis
- a specific ability or facility ⇒
the champion appeared to have lost his touch
- the state of being aware of a situation or in contact with someone ⇒
to get in touch with someone
- the state of being in physical contact
- a trial or test (esp in the phrase put to the touch)
- (rugby, soccer) the area outside the touchlines, beyond which the ball is out of play (esp in the phrase in touch)
- (archaic)
- an official stamp on metal indicating standard purity
- the die stamp used to apply this mark Now usually called: hallmark
- a scoring hit in competitive fencing
- an estimate of the amount of gold in an alloy as obtained by use of a touchstone
- the technique of fingering a keyboard instrument
- the quality of the action of a keyboard instrument with regard to the relative ease
with which the keys may be depressed ⇒
this piano has a nice touch
- (bell-ringing) any series of changes where the permutations are fewer in number than for a peal
- (slang)
- the act of asking for money as a loan or gift, often by devious means
- the money received in this way
- a person asked for money in this way ⇒
he was an easy touch
verb
- tr to cause or permit a part of the body to come into contact with
- tr to tap, feel, or strike, esp with the hand ⇒
don't touch the cake!
- to come or cause (something) to come into contact with (something else) ⇒
their hands touched briefly
,he touched the match to the fuse
- intr to be in contact
- tr; usually used with a negative to take hold of (a person or thing), esp in violence ⇒
don't touch the baby!
- to be adjacent to (each other) ⇒
the two properties touch
- tr to move or disturb by handling ⇒
someone's touched my desk
- tr to have an effect on ⇒
the war scarcely touched our town
- tr to produce an emotional response in ⇒
his sad story touched her
- tr to affect; concern
- tr; usually used with a negative to partake of, eat, or drink
- tr; usually used with a negative to handle or deal with ⇒
I wouldn't touch that business
- when intr, often foll by on to allude (to) briefly or in passing ⇒
the speech touched on several subjects
- tr to tinge or tint slightly ⇒
brown hair touched with gold
- tr to spoil or injure slightly ⇒
blackfly touched the flowers
- tr to mark, as with a brush or pen
- tr to compare to in quality or attainment; equal or match ⇒
there's no-one to touch him
- tr to reach or attain ⇒
he touched the high point in his career
- intr to dock or stop briefly ⇒
the ship touches at Tenerife
- tr (slang) to ask for a loan or gift of money from
- (rare)
- to finger (the keys or strings of an instrument)
- to play (a tune, piece of music, etc) in this way
-
See touch base
Derived Forms
ˈtouchable adjectiveˈtouchableness noun
ˈtoucher noun
ˈtouchless adjective
Word Origin
C13: from Old French tochier, from Vulgar Latin toccāre (unattested) to strike, ring (a bell), probably imitative of a tapping soundSynonyms
View thesaurus entry = feel, handle, finger, stroke, brush, make contact with, graze, caress, fondle, lay a finger on, palpate
= come into contact, meet, contact, border, brush, come together, graze, adjoin, converge, be in contact, abut, impinge upon
= handle, use, move, hold, pick up, disturb, interfere with, tamper with, toy with, fiddle with, meddle with, lay a hand on, lay a finger on, play about or around with
= affect, mark, involve, strike, get to, influence, inspire, impress, get through to, have an effect on, make an impression on
= match, rival, equal, compare with, parallel, come up to, come near, be on a par with, be a match for, hold a candle to, be in the same league as
= get involved in, use, deal with, handle, have to do with, utilize, be a party to, concern yourself with
= bit, spot, trace, drop, taste, suggestion, hint, dash, suspicion, pinch, smack, small amount, tinge, whiff, jot, speck, smattering, intimation, tincture
Translations for 'touch'
- British English: touch If you touch something, you put your fingers or your hand on it.The baby touched my face.tʌtʃ VERBwith your fingers
- Arabic: يَلْمِسُ
- Brazilian Portuguese: tocar
- Chinese: 触摸
- Croatian: dodirnuti
- Czech: dotknout se dotýkat se
- Danish: røre
- Dutch: aanraken
- European Spanish: tocartacto
- Finnish: koskea
- French: toucher
- German: berühren
- Greek: αγγίζω
- Italian: toccare
- Japanese: 触れる
- Korean: 만지다
- Norwegian: berøre
- Polish: dotknąć dotykać
- Portuguese: tocar
- Romanian: a atinge
- Russian: трогать
- Spanish: tocarllegar a algo con la mano, sin asirlo
- Swedish: vidröra
- Thai: สัมผัส
- Turkish: dokunmak
- Ukrainian: торкатися торкнутися
- Vietnamese: chạm vào
- British English: touchtʌtʃ If one thing touches another, or two things touch, they are so close that there is no space between them.Her feet touched the floor. VERBcome into contact with
- Arabic: يَلْمُسُ
- Brazilian Portuguese: tocar
- Chinese: 接触
- Croatian: dodirivati
- Czech: dotýkat se dotknout se
- Danish: røre
- Dutch: aanraken
- European Spanish: tocar
- Finnish: koskettaa
- French: se toucherêtre en contact
- German: berühren
- Greek: αγγίζω
- Italian: toccare
- Japanese: 接触する
- Korean: 닿다
- Norwegian: berøre
- Polish: dotknąć
- Portuguese: tocar
- Romanian: a se atinge
- Russian: касаться
- Spanish: tocar
- Swedish: vidröra
- Thai: แตะ สัมผัส
- Turkish: temas etmek
- Ukrainian: торкатися торкнутися
- Vietnamese: chạm phải
Example Sentences Including 'touch'
For those who claim that in a newly secular Ireland we're losing touch with the mystery of life, Enfield provides encouragement.Irish Times (2002)
He was very possessive and would not let us touch it,' Mr Dobbins told the court.Glasgow Herald (2001)
I also noticed a watch chain dangling from his waistcoat pocket -- a dandyish touch that sat strangely with his fearsome face.THE EXECUTION (2002)
I still had to get in touch with Jarawa's wife, for example.THE EXECUTION (2002)
Politicians lose their grip If you tuned in late to Joe Duffy's Liveline last Friday afternoon you might have been a touch perplexed.Irish Times (2002)
Some even reached out to touch his travel-stained clothes, to assure themselves that he was real.TREASON KEEP (2001)
The story he tells of France from the Dark Ages to the present day is always told with verve and a sureness of touch.Country Life (2004)
We are alienated, disconnected, out of touch with who we are.MOVING INTO ECSTASY: An Urban Mystic's Guide to Movement, Music and Meditation (2001)
You can't get Aids if you touch , hug, kiss, hold hands with someone who is infected.Glasgow Herald (2001)
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