touch

touch / təch/ • v. [tr.] 1. come so close to (an object) as to be or come into contact with it: the dog had one paw outstretched, not quite touching the ground. ∎  bring one's hand or another part of one's body into contact with: he touched a strand of her hair | she lowered her head to touch his fingers with her lips. ∎  (touch something to) move a part of one's body to bring it into contact with: he gently touched his lips to her cheek. ∎  lightly press or strike (a button or key on a device or instrument) to operate or play it: he touched a button on the control pad. ∎  [intr.] (of two people or two or more things, typically ones of the same kind) come into contact with each other: for a moment their fingers touched. ∎  cause (two or more things, typically ones of the same kind) to come into contact: we touched wheels and nearly came off the road. ∎  Geom. be tangent to (a curve or surface) at a certain point. ∎ inf. reach (a specified level or amount): sales touched twenty grand last year. ∎  inf. be comparable to in quality or excellence: there's no one who can touch him at lightweight judo. 2. handle in order to manipulate, alter, or otherwise affect, esp. in an adverse way: I didn't play her records or touch any of her stuff. ∎  cause harm to (someone): I've got friends who'll pull strings—nobody will dare touch me. ∎  take some of (a store, esp. of money) for use: in three years I haven't touched a cent of the money. ∎  consume a small amount of (food or drink): the beer by his right hand was hardly touched. ∎  used to indicate that something is avoided or rejected: he was good only for the jobs that nobody else would touch. ∎  (touch someone for) inf. ask someone for (money or some other commodity) as a loan or gift: he touched me for his fare. 3. have an effect on; make a difference to: a tenth of state companies have been touched by privatization. ∎  be relevant to: some Canadian interests touched European powers. ∎  (usu. be touched) (of a quality or feature) be visible or apparent in the appearance or character of (something): the trees were beginning to be touched by the colors of autumn. ∎  reach and affect the appearance of: a wry smile touched his lips. ∎  (touch something in) chiefly Art lightly mark in features or other details with a brush or pencil. ∎  (often be touched) produce feelings of affection, gratitude, or sympathy in: she was touched by her friend's loyalty. ∎  [as adj.] (touched) inf. slightly insane. • n. 1. an act of bringing a part of one's body, typically one's hand, into contact with someone or something: her touch on his shoulder was hesitant | expressions of love through words and touch. ∎  [in sing.] an act of lightly pressing or striking something in order to move or operate it: you can manipulate images on the screen at the touch of a key. ∎  the faculty of perception through physical contact, esp. with the fingers: reading by touch. ∎  a musician's manner of playing keys or strings. ∎  the manner in which a musical instrument's keys or strings respond to being played: Viennese instruments with their too delicate touch. ∎  a light stroke with a pen, pencil, etc. ∎  [in sing.] inf., dated an act of asking for and getting money or some other commodity from someone as a loan or gift: I only tolerated him because he was good for a touch now and then. ∎  [in sing.] archaic a thing or an action that tries out the worth or character of something; a test: you must put your fate to the touch. 2. a small amount; a trace: add a touch of vinegar he retired to bed with a touch of the flu. ∎  a detail or feature, typically one that gives something a distinctive character: the film's most inventive touch. ∎  [in sing.] a distinctive manner or method of dealing with something: later he showed a surer political touch. ∎  [in sing.] an ability to deal with something successfully: getting caught looks so incompetent, as though we're losing our touch. 3. Bell-ringing a series of changes shorter than a peal. 4. short for touch football. PHRASES: a touch to a slight degree; a little: the water was a touch too chilly for us. in touch 1. in or into communication: she said that you kept in touch, that you wrote | ask someone to put you in touch with other suppliers. 2. possessing up-to-date knowledge: we need to keep in touch with the latest developments. ∎  having an intuitive or empathetic awareness: you need to be in touch with your feelings. lose touch 1. cease to correspond or be in communication: I lost touch with him when he joined the air force. 2. cease to be aware or informed: we cannot lose touch with political reality. out of touch lacking knowledge or information concerning current events and developments: he seems surprisingly out of touch with recent economic thinking. ∎  lacking in awareness or sympathy: we have been betrayed by a government out of touch with our values. to the touch used to describe the qualities of something perceived by touching it or the sensations felt by someone who is touched: the silk was slightly rough to the touch the ankle was swollen and painful to the touch. touch base (with) see base¹ . touch bottom reach the bottom of a body of water with one's feet or a pole. ∎  be at the lowest or worst point: the housing market has touched bottom. touch a chordsee chord² . touch woodsee wood. would not touch something with a ten-foot pole inf. used to express a refusal to have anything to do with someone or something: relax, I wouldn't touch you with a ten-foot pole!PHRASAL VERBS: touch at (of a ship or someone in it) call briefly at (a port). touch down (of an aircraft or spacecraft) make contact with the ground in landing. touch something off cause something to ignite or explode by touching it with a match. ∎  cause something to happen, esp. suddenly: there was concern that the move could touch off a trade war. touch on (or upon) 1. deal briefly with (a subject) in written or spoken discussion: he touches upon several themes from the last chapter. 2. come near to being: a self-confident manner touching on the arrogant. touch something up make small improvements to something: these paints are handy for touching up small areas on walls or ceilings.touch wood see knock on wood at wood.DERIVATIVES: touch·a·ble adj. touch·er n.