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lay a finger on

lay a finger on idiom

Also, put a finger on. Barely touch, as in You'd better not lay a finger on those documents! or If you lay a finger on me, I'll sue. This expression is nearly always used as a prohibition. [Mid-1800s] Also see put one's finger on.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.