touch
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: enpr: tŭch
ipa: /tʌt͡ʃ/
enpr: tĕch
ipa: /tɛt͡ʃ/
enpr: tŏch
ipa: /tɑt͡ʃ/
rhymes: -ʌtʃ
Forms: form: touches
form: touching
form: touched
form: touched
form: no-table-tags
form: glossary
form: touch
form: touch
form: touched
form: toucht
form: touch
form: touchest
form: touched
form: touchedst
form: toucht
form: touches
form: toucheth
form: touched
form: toucht
form: touch
form: touched
form: toucht
form: touch
form: touched
form: toucht
form: touch
form: -
form: touching
form: touched
form: toucht
Etymology: From Middle English touchen, tochen, from Old French tochier (“to touch”) (whence Modern French toucher; compare French doublet toquer (“to offend, bother, harass”)), from Vulgar Latin *tuccō (“to knock, strike, offend”), from Frankish *tukkōn (“to knock, strike, touch”), from Proto-Germanic *tukkōną (“to tug, grab, grasp”), from Proto-Indo-European *dewk- (“to draw, pull, lead”). Largely displaced native Middle English rinen, from Old English hrīnan (whence Modern English rine). Doublet of tuck.
Cognates
Cognate with Old High German zochhōn, zuhhōn (“to grasp, take, seize, snatch”) (whence German zucken (“to jerk, flinch”)), German Low German tucken, tocken (“to fidget, twitch, pull up, entice, throb, knock, repeatedly tap”), Middle Dutch tocken, tucken (“to touch, entice”) (whence Dutch tokkelen (“to strum, pluck”)), Old English tucian, tūcian (“to disturb, mistreat”) (whence Modern English tuck). Compare also Old High German tokkōn, tockōn (“to abut, collide”). Outside Germanic, cognate to Albanian cek (“to touch”), Old Church Slavonic тъкнѫти (tŭknǫti). More at tuck, take.
Senses: examples: text: I touched his face softly.
text: While thus she spake, / She toucht his eye-lashes with libant lip / And breath'd ambrosial odours; […]
ref: 1803, Walter Savage Landor, “Book VI”, in Gebir; a Poem: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Slatter and Munday; and sold by R. S. Kirby, […], →OCLC, page 107:
glosses: Primarily physical senses.
To make physical contact with; to bring the hand, finger or other part of the body into contact with.
synonyms: word: contact
word: feel
word: grope
word: handle
word: touch
examples: text: Sitting on the bench, the hem of her skirt touched the ground.
glosses: Primarily physical senses.
To come into (involuntary) contact with; to meet or intersect.
examples: text: They stood next to each other, their shoulders touching.
glosses: Primarily physical senses.
To come into physical contact, or to be in physical contact.
examples: text: Please can I have a look, if I promise not to touch?
glosses: Primarily physical senses.
To make physical contact with a thing.
examples: text: If you touch her, I'll kill you.
text: Let us make a covenant with thee, that thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 27:28-29:
glosses: Primarily physical senses.
To physically disturb; to interfere with, molest, or attempt to harm through contact.
examples: text: The man was arrested for touching a girl without her consent.
glosses: Primarily physical senses.
To make intimate physical contact with a person.
synonyms: caress
fondle
grope
examples: text: Her parents had caught her touching herself when she was fifteen.
glosses: Primarily physical senses.
To sexually excite with the fingers; to finger or masturbate.
examples: Tell me the truth, did you touch her?
glosses: Primarily physical senses.
To have sexual intercourse with
examples: He quickly touched his knee to the worn marble.
The demonstrator nearly touched the rod on the ball.
She touched her lips to the glass.
glosses: Primarily physical senses.
To cause to be briefly in contact with something.
examples: text: Frankly, this wood's so strong that sandpaper won't touch it.
glosses: Primarily physical senses.
To physically affect in specific ways implied by context.
examples: text: Are you all right? You've hardly touched your lunch.
text: But Richmond[…]appeared to lose himself in his own reflections. Some pickled crab, which he had not touched, had been removed with a damson pie; and his sister saw[…]that he had eaten no more than a spoonful of that either.
ref: 1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax:
glosses: Primarily physical senses.
To begin to consume, or otherwise use.
synonyms: word: consume
word: get outside
word: ingest
word: partake
word: put away
word: touch
examples: text: Now a certain grand merchant ship once touched at Rokovoko, and its commander — from all accounts, a very stately punctilious gentleman, at least for a sea captain — this commander was invited to the wedding feast of Queequeg's sister, a pretty young princess just turned of ten.
ref: 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:
glosses: Primarily physical senses.
Of a ship or its passengers: to land, to make a short stop (at).
examples: text: But in fact the English kings of the seventeenth century usually began to touch form the day of their accession, without waiting for any such consecration.
ref: 1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society, published 2012, page 189:
glosses: Primarily physical senses.
To lay hands on (someone suffering from scrofula) as a form of cure, as formerly practised by English and French monarchs.
examples: text: Strong waters pierce metals, and will touch upon gold, that will not touch upon silver.
ref: 1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:
glosses: Primarily physical senses.
To fasten; to take effect; to make impression.
topics: nautical
transport
glosses: Primarily physical senses.
To bring (a sail) so close to the wind that its weather leech shakes.
topics: nautical
transport
glosses: Primarily physical senses.
To be brought, as a sail, so close to the wind that its weather leech shakes.
examples: text: to touch the wind
topics: nautical
transport
glosses: Primarily physical senses.
To keep the ship as near (the wind) as possible.
examples: text: My grandfather, as many people know, was touched with greatness.
text: This year, J. Allen Collier, the artistic director and producer, invited choreographers to create dance pieces exploring the multi-faceted responses to the AIDS crisis. This thematic unity touched the show with additional solemnity and grace.
ref: 1988 April 9, Vicki Gabriner, “Dancing for the Living and the Dead”, in Gay Community News, page 6:
glosses: Primarily non-physical senses.
To imbue or endow with a specific quality.
examples: text: Next to sorrow still I may annex such accidents as procure fear; for besides those terrors which I have before touched, […] there is a superstitious fear […] which much trouble many of us.
ref: , I.2.4.vii
glosses: Primarily non-physical senses.
To deal with in speech or writing; to mention briefly, to allude to.
synonyms: word: bring up
word: mention
word: move
word: reference
word: toss up
word: touch
word: touch on
examples: text: "Well, but since we have touched upon this business, and for the last time I hope," continued the doctor, "there is one point I should like you to understand."
ref: 1886 January 5, Robert Louis Stevenson, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC:
glosses: Primarily non-physical senses.
To deal with in speech or writing; briefly to speak or write (on or upon something).
synonyms: word: refer
word: affect
word: bear upon
word: bear on
word: concern
word: impact
word: involve
word: pertain
word: refer
word: regard
word: relate
word: touch
examples: text: Men of Israhell take hede to youreselves what ye entende to do as touchinge these men.
ref: 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Acts:
text: The stories did not seem to me to touch life. They were plainly intended to have a bracing moral effect, and perhaps had this result for the people at whom they were aimed. They left me with the impression of a well-delivered stereopticon lecture, with characters about as life-like as the shadows on the screen, and whisking on and off, at the mercy of the operator.
ref: 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
text: And now it seemed he was engaged in something which touched them closely, but must be hidden from their knowledge.
ref: 1919, Saki, ‘The Penance’, The Toys of Peace, Penguin 2000 (Complete Short Stories), page 423
glosses: Primarily non-physical senses.
To concern, to have to do with.
examples: text: If you are so fond over her iniquity, give her patent
to offend, for if it touch not you, it comes near
nobody.
ref: c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
text: Stefan was touched by the song's message of hope.
glosses: Primarily non-physical senses.
To affect emotionally; to bring about tender or painful feelings in.
synonyms: affect
move
stir
examples: text: He had been drinking over lunch, and was clearly touched.
glosses: Primarily non-physical senses.
To affect in a negative way, especially only slightly.
examples: text: The bill was finally touched after many hours of deliberation.
topics: history
human-sciences
sciences
glosses: Primarily non-physical senses.
To give royal assent to by touching it with the sceptre.
examples: text: I was running short, so I touched old Bertie for a fiver.
glosses: Primarily non-physical senses.
To obtain money from, usually by borrowing (from a friend).
examples: text: You must be touched if you think I'm taking your advice.
glosses: Primarily non-physical senses.
To disturb the mental functions of; to make somewhat insane; often followed with "in the head".
synonyms: word: dement
word: becraze
word: craze
word: crazy up
word: delirate
word: dement
word: dementate
word: distract
word: drive someone crazy
word: enrage
word: insaniate
word: mad
word: madden
word: touch
qualifier: always passive
examples: text: 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.
ref: 1928, Dorothy L. Sayers, “The Abominable History of the Man with Copper Fingers”, in Lord Peter Views the Body:
text: 'Lind Arden was a great genius, one of the greatest tragic actresses in the world. As Lady Macbeth, as Magda, there was no one to touch her.'
ref: 1934, Agatha Christie, chapter 6, in Murder on the Orient Express, London: HarperCollins, published 2017, page 118:
glosses: Primarily non-physical senses.
To be on the level of; to approach in excellence or quality.
synonyms: word: match
word: rival
word: as good as
word: compeer
word: correspond
word: equal
word: equate to
word: keep pace
word: match
word: measure up
word: paragon
word: parallel
word: rival
word: touch
raw_tags: in negative constructions
examples: text: On Sunday afternoon it was as dark as night, with barely room for two riders abreast on a gradient that touches 20%.
ref: 2012 July 15, Richard Williams, Tour de France 2012: Carpet tacks cannot force Bradley Wiggins off track, Guardian Unlimited:
glosses: Primarily non-physical senses.
To come close to; to approach.
synonyms: near
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
glosses: Primarily non-physical senses.
To mark (a file or document) as having been modified.
examples: text: I mean to touch your love indeed.
ref: c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii]:
synonyms: test
glosses: To try; to prove, as with a touchstone.
examples: text: The lines, though touched but faintly, are drawn right.
ref: 1711 May, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Criticism, London: […] W[illiam] Lewis […]; and sold by W[illiam] Taylor […], T[homas] Osborn[e] […], and J[ohn] Graves […], →OCLC:
glosses: To mark or delineate with touches; to add a slight stroke to with the pencil or brush.
examples: text: Hee was touched with great Remorse
ref: 1622, Francis, Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Alban [i.e. Francis Bacon], The Historie of the Raigne of King Henry the Seventh, […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Matthew Lownes, and William Barret, →OCLC:
glosses: To infect; to affect slightly.
examples: text: to touch an instrument of music
text: [They] touched their golden harps.
ref: 1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
glosses: To strike; to manipulate; to play on.
examples: text: A person in the royal retinue touched a light and lively air on the flageolet.
ref: 1814 July 7, [Walter Scott], Waverley; or, ’Tis Sixty Years Since. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC:
glosses: To perform, as a tune; to play.
examples: text: No decree of mine,[…][to] touch with lightest moment of impulse his free will.
ref: 1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
glosses: To influence by impulse; to impel forcibly.
Derived terms: because you touch yourself at night
don't touch that dial
everything one touches turns to gold
everything one touches turns to shit
heart-touching
not touch something with a barge pole
not touch something with a ten-foot pole
not touch with a barge pole
not touch with a ten-foot pole
touch a chord
touch-and-go
touch and go
touch-and-go landing
touch a nerve
touch a raw nerve
touch base
touch bottom
touch cloth
touch down
touch 'em all
touch grass
touch in
touching ball
touch labor
touch-me-not
touch-me-not-ish
touch-move rule
touch off
touch on
touch one's forelock
touch out
touch piece
touch some grass
touch someone's hem
touch someone's robe
touch the body
touch the hem of someone's garment
touch the hem of someone's robe
touch up
touch upon
touch wood
within touching distance
wouldn't touch with yours