touch
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
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[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
From Old French tochier (modern toucher; French doublet toquer "to offend"), from Vulgar Latin unattested form *toccare "to knock, strike, offend", of Germanic origin, akin to Old High German zochhōn "to grasp, seize", zuchôn "to jerk, tug"; Middle Low German tucken "to tug", Old Dutch tocken "to entice", Old English tūcian "to vex, harass, disturb, mistreat, torment". Cf. tuck, tow and tug.
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Verb
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Infinitive |
Third person singular |
Simple past |
Past participle |
Present participle |
to touch (third-person singular simple present touches, present participle touching, simple past and past participle touched)
- (transitive) To make physical contact with; to bring the hand, finger or other part of the body into contact with.
- I touched her face softly.
- (transitive) To come into (involuntary) contact with; to meet or intersect.
- Sitting on the bench, the hem of her skirt touched the ground.
- (intransitive) To come into physical contact, or to be in physical contact.
- They stood next to each other, their shoulders touching.
- (intransitive) To make physical contact with a thing.
- Please can I have a look, if I promise not to touch?
- (transitive) To physically affect in specific ways implied by context.
- Frankly, this wood's so strong that sandpaper won't touch it.
- (transitive) To physically disturb; to interfere with, molest, or attempt to harm through contact.
- If you touch her, I'll kill you.
- (transitive) To consume, or otherwise use.
- Are you all right? You've hardly touched your lunch.
- (transitive, dated) To affect in a negative way, especially only slightly.
- He had been drinking over lunch, and was clearly touched.
- (transitive) To steal, or obtain money; to borrow money from.
- I was running short, so I touched old Bertie for a fiver.
- (transitive) To affect emotionally; to bring about tender or painful feelings in.
- Stefan was touched by the song's message of hope.
- (transitive) To concern, to have a bearing on.
- Stay out of this, it doesn't touch you in any way.
- (transitive) To imbue or endow with a specific quality.
- My grandfather, as many people know, was touched with greatness.
- (transitive) To disturb the mental functions of; to make somewhat insane.
- You must be touched if you think I'm taking your advice.
- (transitive or reflexive) To sexually excite with the fingers; to finger or masturbate.
- Her parents had caught her touching herself when she was fifteen.
- (transitive, Scottish history) To give royal assent to by touching it with the sceptre.
- The bill was finally touched after many hours of deliberation.
- (transitive) To be on the level of.
- 1928, Dorothy L. Sayers, "The Abominable History of the Man with Copper Fingers", in Lord Peter Views the Body,
- There was his mistress, Maria Morano. I don't think I've ever seen anything to touch her, and when you work for the screen [as I do] you're apt to have a pretty exacting standard of female beauty.
- 1928, Dorothy L. Sayers, "The Abominable History of the Man with Copper Fingers", in Lord Peter Views the Body,
[edit] Derived terms
Terms derived from the verb "touch"
[edit] Translations
make physical contact with
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affect emotionally
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[edit] Noun
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Singular |
Plural |
touch (plural touches)
- An act of touching, especially with the hand or finger.
- Suddenly, in the crowd, I felt a touch at my shoulder.
- The faculty or sense of perception by physical contact.
- With the lights out, she had to rely on touch to find her desk.
- The style or technique with which one plays a musical instrument.
- He performed one of Ravel's piano concertos with a wonderfully light and playful touch.
- A distinguishing feature or characteristic.
- Clever touches like this are what make her such a brilliant writer.
- A little bit; a small amount.
- Move it left just a touch and it will be perfect.
- The part of a sports field beyond the touchlines or goal-lines.
- He got the ball, and kicked it straight out into touch.
- A relationship of close communication or understanding.
- He promised to keep in touch while he was away.
[edit] Derived terms
Terms derived from the noun "touch"
[edit] Translations
act of touching
sense of perception
style
distinguishing feature
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small amount
close communication
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