finger

plural fingers

1. A slender jointed extremity of the human hand, (often) exclusive of the thumb, and the corresponding part, irrespective of including a thumb, in many other animals.

   Humans have two hands and ten fingers. Each hand has one thumb and four fingers.

   3 more examples

   [M]aking a Cut here big enough to put her Finger in, which ſhe thruſts under the Guts, and with it rakes or tears out the Stone that lies neareſt to it.

   1750, W[illiam] Ellis, The Country Housewife's Family Companion […] , London: James Hodges; B. Collins, →OCLC, page 157

   Each finger extended represents one-eighth of a cent. Thus when all four fingers and the thumb are extended, all being spread out from one another, it means five-eighths.

   1916, “The Finger Talk of Chicago's Wheat-Pit”, in Popular Science Monthly, Vol. 89, p. 81

   In 1993 [Victor Candia] noticed that the fingers of his left hand were starting to curl up as he played [on his guitar]. It felt to him as if a magnet in his palm were preventing him from opening them. A week later, he could not play at all.

   2014 March 29, “Don’t cramp my style”, in The Economist, volume 410, number 8880

2. biologySimilar or similar-looking extremities in other animals, particularly

   The starfish eats with five fingers.

   1915, Eleanor Stackhouse Atkinson, “The How and Why Library”, in Life, Section VIII

3. Similar or similar-looking extremities in other animals
   1. biologyThe lower, smaller segment of an arthropod claw.
   2. biologyOne of the supporting structures of wings in birds, bats, etc. evolved from earlier toes or fingers.
   3. biologyOne of the slender bony structures before the pectoral fins of gurnards and sea robins (Triglidae).
4. Something similar in shape to the human finger, particularly

   ...spires whose ‘silent finger points to Heaven’...

   1814, William Wordsworth, The Excursion, page 250

5. Something similar in shape to the human finger
   1. cookingFinger-shaped pieces of food.

      chocolate fingers; fish fingers; cheese fingers

      1 more example

      By now, we hope you have said “no” to processed nuggets and fingers. Instead, how about taking some real chicken, tossing it with real eggs, a little tangy mustard, and a crunchy quinoa coating?

      2014, Laurie David, The Family Cooks

      Synonyms: tendril

   2. chemistryA tube extending from a sealed system, or sometimes into one in the case of a cold finger.

      An oven is placed over the finger with Co catalyst (oven temperature will depend on whether a quartz or Pyrex finger is used, see Ref. 24), and a cold finger (usually a copper rod immersed in dry ice–isopropanol slurry) is placed on the other tube.

      1996, Susan Trumbore, Mass Spectrometry of Soils, page 318

   3. UKobsoleteplural normallyregionalbiologySynonym of foxglove (D. purpurea).

      Synonyms: foxglove

6. Something similarly extending, (especially) from a larger body, particularly

   a finger of land; a finger of smoke

7. Something similarly extending, (especially) from a larger body
   1. biologyVarious protruding plant structures, as a banana from its hand.
   2. obsoleteanatomyA lobe of the liver.
   3. historicalThe teeth parallel to the blade of a scythe, fitted to a wooden frame called a cradle.
   4. The projections of a reaper or mower which similarly separate the stalks for cutting.
   5. abbreviationclippingnauticalClipping of finger pier (“a shorter, narrower pier projecting from a larger dock”).
   6. aeronauticsSynonym of jet bridge: the narrow elevated walkway connecting a plane to an airport.

      Synonyms: jet bridge, jet bridge

   7. computingA leaf in a finger tree data structure.
8. Something similar in function or agency to the human finger, (usually) with regard to touching, grasping, or pointing.

   The Magicians said vnto Pharaoh; This is the finger of God.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 8:19

   1. obsoleteSynonym of hand, the part of a clock pointing to the hour, minute, or second.

      Synonyms: hand

   2. USobsoleteslangA policeman or prison guard.
   3. USrareslangAn informer to the police, (especially) one who identifies a criminal during a lineup.
   4. USrareslangA criminal who scouts for prospective victims and targets or who performs reconnaissance before a crime.
   5. figurativelyThat which points; an indicator, as of guilt, blame, or suspicion.

      The finger of suspicion pointed clearly at the hotel manager.

9. Various units of measure based or notionally based on the adult human finger, particularly
   1. historicalunits of measureSynonym of digit: former units of measure notionally based on its width but variously standardized, (especially) the English digit of ¹⁄₁₆ foot (about 1.9 cm).

      a piece of steel three fingers thick

      1648, John Wilkins, Mathematical Magick

      Synonyms: digit

   2. historicalunits of measureA unit of length notionally based on the length of an adult human's middle finger, standardized as 4½ inches (11.43 cm).
   3. historicalunits of measureSynonym of digit: ¹⁄₁₂ the observed diameter of the sun or moon, (especially) with regard to eclipses.

      Synonyms: digit

   4. units of measureAn informal measure of alcohol based on its height in a given glass compared to the width of the pourer's fingers while holding it.

      Gimme three fingers of bourbon.

10. fashionA part of a glove intended to cover a finger.
11. informalobsoleteSkill in the use of the fingers, as in playing upon a musical instrument.

    A performer capable of doing justice to rapid or expressive passages, is said to have a good finger

    1786, Thomas Busby, Musical Dictionary

    Synonyms: fingering technique, touch

12. informalrareSomeone skilled in the use of their fingers, (especially) a pickpocket.
13. UKslangA person.

    Synonyms: bloke, lad, boy, guv

14. especiallyAn obscene or insulting gesture made by raising one's middle finger towards someone with the palm of one's hand facing inwards.
15. broadcastingAny of the individual receivers used in a rake receiver to decode signal components.
16. vulgarAn act of fingering (inserting a finger into someone's vagina or rectum for sexual pleasure).

present singular third person fingers · participle present fingering · participle past fingered · past fingered

1. transitiveTo identify or point out; to blame for something.

   This makes it quite difficult to finger specific gene variants, since any one variant contributes only tiny effects.

   2016, Joseph Henrich, chapter 6, in The Secret of Our Success […] , Princeton: Princeton University Press, →ISBN

   1 more example

   I'm rose-tinting my teenage years, for sure, but Twenge isn't the only generational-change researcher to finger the ubiquitous smartphone for contributing to higher rates of teen depression and anxiety.

   2018 January, “Wild Things”, in North and South

2. transitiveTo report to or identify for the authorities; to inform on.

   Synonyms: put the finger on, rat on, rat out, squeal on, tattle on, turn in, bewray, blow the whistle

3. transitiveTo poke, probe, feel, or fondle with a finger or fingers.

   "They have done a foolish thing," said I, fingering my wineglass.

   1895–1897, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann, published 1898, →OCLC, (please specify the page number(s))

   3 more examples

   Goe, get you gone: and let the papers lye: / You would be fingring them, to anger me.

   c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]

   Alladad Khan, left alone, dandled unhandily his child in unfatherly arms. He wanted to finger his moustache, but could not.

   1956, Anthony Burgess, Time for a Tiger (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 121

   Feeling tender around the face, she fingered herself gingerly. Yes, it was swollen, very sore around the cheekbones, with dried blood on the outsides of her eye sockets, below her nostrils, and below one ear.

   2009, Win Blevins, Dreams Beneath Your Feet, page 135

4. transitivelifestyleTo use the fingers to sexually stimulate one's own or another person's vulva, vagina, or anus.

   She fingered him, spreading the gel and sliding the tip of her finger inside him.

   2007, Madeline Bastinado, A Talent for Surrender, page 201

   1 more example

   She smiled, a look of amazement on her face, as if thinking that maybe this was the cock that she had been fantasizing about just now, as she fingered herself to a massive, body-engulfing orgasm.

   2008, Thomas Wainwright, editor, Erotic Tales, page 56

   Synonyms: fingerbang, fingerfuck

5. transitiveentertainmentTo use specified finger positions in producing notes on a musical instrument.
6. transitiveentertainmentTo provide instructions in written music as to which fingers are to be used to produce particular notes or passages.
7. InternettransitiveTo query (a user's status) using the Finger protocol.

   PGP mail welcome (finger me for my key).

   1996, Yves Bellefeuille, “List of useful freeware”, in comp.archives.msdos.d (Usenet)

   1 more example

   There is also a hot-link to "finger" the guys at id to see what they're working on next (John Carmack, John Cash […]

   1996, Marc Saltzman, Sean McFadden, Internet Games Directory, Lycos Press, →ISBN, page 29

8. obsoleteTo steal; to purloin.

   in the dark / Grop'd I to finde out them; had my desire, / Finger'd their Packet, and in fine, withdrew / To mine owne roome againe,

   c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]

9. obsoletetransitiveTo execute, as any delicate work.

1. A surname.
2. A city in Tennessee.