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touch definition

touch (tuc̸h)

transitive verb

  1. to put the hand, the finger, or some other part of the body on, so as to feel; perceive by the sense of feeling
  2. to bring into contact with something else to touch a match to kindling, to touch the ceiling with a stick
  3. Historical to lay the hand on (a person with scrofula), as some kings once did, supposedly to effect a cure
  4. to be or come into contact with
  5. to border on; adjoin
  6. to strike lightly
  7. to be effective on contact; have a physical effect on: usually used in the negative water won't touch these grease spots
  8. to injure slightly frost touched the plants
  9. to give a light tint, aspect, etc. to: used chiefly in the past participle clouds touched with pink
  10. to lay hands on; handle; use
  11. to handle roughly or molest
  12. to taste or partake of: usually used in the negative didn't touch his supper
  13. to come up to; reach; attain
  14. to compare with; equal; rival: usually used in the negative cooking that can't touch hers
  15. to take or make use of without permission or wrongly; misappropriate
  16. to deal with or refer to, esp. in a light or passing way; mention
  17. to have to do with; affect; concern a subject that touches our welfare
  18. to arouse an emotion in, esp. one of sympathy, gratitude, etc.
  19. to hurt the feelings of; pain touched him to the quick
  20. Slang to ask for, or get by asking, a loan or gift of money from
  21. Archaic
    1. to strike the keys of, pluck the strings of, etc. (a musical instrument)
    2. to play (a few notes, an air, etc.)
  22. Geom. to be tangent to

Etymology: ME touchen < OFr tochier (Fr toucher) < VL *toccare < *tok, light blow, of echoic orig.

intransitive verb

  1. to touch a person or thing
  2. to be or come in contact
  3. to come near to something; verge (on or upon)
  4. to pertain; bear (on or upon)
  5. to treat a topic slightly or in passing: with on or upon
  6. to stop briefly or land (at a port, etc.) during a voyage
  7. Geom. to be tangent

noun

  1. a touching or being touched; specif.,
    1. a light tap, stroke, etc.
    2. a delicate stroke made with a brush in painting, etc.
  2. the sense by which physical objects are felt; tactile sense
  3. a sensation caused by touching, esp. one that is characteristic of a particular substance or texture; tactile quality; feel
  4. a mental capacity analogous to the sense of touch; mental or moral sensitivity she has a nice touch with difficult people
  5. a special or characteristic quality, skill, or manner he lost his touch
  6. an effect of being touched; specif.,
    1. a mark, impression, etc. left by touching
    2. a subtle change or addition in a painting, story, or other work
  7. a very small amount, degree, etc.; specif.,
    1. a trace, tinge, etc. a touch of humor
    2. a slight attack a touch of the flu
  8. contact or communication to lose touch with reality, to keep in touch with friends
  9. Slang
    1. the act of asking for, or getting in this way, a loan or gift of money to make a touch
    2. money so gotten
    3. a person with reference to the ease with which money can be so gotten from him
  10. Music
    1. the manner in which a performer strikes the keys of a keyboard instrument a delicate touch
    2. the manner in which the action of a piano, etc. responds to the fingers a piano with a heavy touch
    3. in bell ringing, a set of changes less than a peal
  11. Rugby, Soccer the part of the field outside the sidelines

Related Forms:

touch Idioms

touch down

to land
said of an aircraft or spacecraft

touch off

  1. to represent accurately or aptly
  2. to make explode or detonate; fire
  3. to initiate (esp. a violent action or reaction); set off

touch up

  1. to stimulate or rouse, as by a tap or light blow
  2. to improve or finish (a painting, literary work, etc.) by minor changes or additions
  3. to iron, or press, lightly

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:
touch Synonyms

touch

n.

  1. The tactile sense

    feeling, touching, feel, perception, tactility, taction.

  2. Contact

    rub, stroke, pat, petting, fondling, rubbing, stroking, licking, handling, graze, scratch, brush, taste, nudge, kiss, peck, embrace, hug, cuddling, caress.

  3. *The act of borrowing

    cadging, begging, mooching*; see loan.

  4. A sensation

    sense, impression, apprehension, impact, pressure; see also feeling 2.

  5. Skill

    knack*, technique*, finish; see ability 2, method 2, talent 1.

  6. A trace

    suggestion, scent, inkling; see bit 1.

in touch

in contact, attuned, acquainted, in close communication, within reach; see also familiar with, in contact with 2 at contact.

out of touch
  1. not in communication, estranged, out of reach.

  2. naive, inexperienced, uninformed;


touch

v.

  1. To be in contact

    stroke, graze, rub, pat, pet, nudge, thumb, finger, paw, lick, taste, brush, kiss, glance, sweep, caress, fondle, smooth, massage, sip, partake; see also feel 1.

  2. To come into contact with

    meet, encounter, arrive at, reach, get to, come to, attain, stop at, call at, visit.

    Antonyms pass*, miss*, avoid*. *

  3. To relate to

    involve, refer to, bear on, pertain to, regard, affect, belong to, be associated with, center upon; see also concern 1.

  4. To tinge

    tint, brush, retouch, taint, blemish, spot, color, stain.

  5. *To borrow from

    get from, obtain from, beg from; see borrow 1.

  6. To discuss

    touch on, touch upon, treat, go over; see discuss.

  7. To affect emotionally

    move, stir, affect, impress; see move 3. See syn. study at affect.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

touch Usage Examples

Object

  • nerve: It was touching as few TV shows can be, in that it touched a nerve few would see as vulnerable.

Converse of object

  • finish: Late on Sunday afternoon David Coleman puts the finishing touches to the pedestrian walkway across the newly installed turnout.

Adjective modifier

  • finishing: The large blue Aga adds the finishing touch to the very contemporary look.

Modifies a noun

  • screen: The touch screen Sudoku also has the option to.. .

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • upon: How the problems of copyright were to be overcome was only touched upon.

Preposition: of

  • button: DIY Gallery Roofing Metal roofing distributor who can ship nationwide is at the touch of a button.

Preposition: with

  • reality: Their endorsement ' feeds her ego and causes her to lose touch with reality ' .
touch usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

touch quotes

Le toucher est le plus de¤  mystificateur de tous les sens, a'   la diffe¤  rence de la vue, qui est le plus magique. Touch is the most demystifying of all senses, different from sight which is the most magical.

-Barthes, Roland

Jesus saith unto her,Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.Jesus saith unto her,Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

-Bible (NewTestament)

   Noli me tangere. Do not touch me. See Bible (NewTestament) 118:23.

-Bible (Vulgate)

touch quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"touch." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/touch>

APA Style

touch. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/touch

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