touch

present singular third person touches · participle present touching · participle past touched · past touched · obsolete participle past toucht · obsolete past toucht · first person past singular touched · archaic first person past singular toucht · archaic present second person singular touchest · past second person singular touched · archaic past second person singular touchedst · archaic past second person singular toucht · present singular third person touches · archaic present singular third person toucheth · past singular third person touched · archaic past singular third person toucht

1. Primarily physical senses.
   1. transitiveTo make physical contact with; to bring the hand, finger or other part of the body into contact with.First known use 14th c.

      I touched his face softly.

      1 more example

      While thus she spake, / She toucht his eye-lashes with libant lip / And breath'd ambrosial odours; […]

      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

      Synonyms: contact, feel, grope, handle

   2. transitiveTo come into (involuntary) contact with; to meet or intersect.First known use 14th c.

      Sitting on the bench, the hem of her skirt touched the ground.

   3. intransitiveTo come into physical contact, or to be in physical contact.First known use 14th c.

      They stood next to each other, their shoulders touching.

   4. intransitiveTo make physical contact with a thing.First known use 14th c.

      Please can I have a look, if I promise not to touch?

   5. transitiveTo physically disturb; to interfere with, molest, or attempt to harm through contact.First known use 14th c.

      If you touch her, I'll kill you.

      1 more example

      Let us make a covenant with thee, that thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee.

      1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 27:28-29

   6. transitiveTo make intimate physical contact with a person.

      The man was arrested for touching a girl without her consent.

      Synonyms: caress, fondle, grope

   7. intransitiverarereflexivetransitiveTo sexually excite with the fingers; to finger or masturbate.First known use 20th c.

      Her parents had caught her touching herself when she was fifteen.

   8. To have sexual intercourse with

      Tell me the truth, did you touch her?

   9. transitiveTo cause to be briefly in physical contact with something.

      She touched her lips to the glass.

      2 more examples

      He quickly touched his knee to the worn marble.

      The demonstrator nearly touched the rod on the ball.

   10. transitiveTo physically affect in specific ways implied by context.First known use 15th c.

       Frankly, this wood's so strong that sandpaper won't touch it.

   11. transitiveTo begin to consume, or otherwise use.First known use 15th c.

       Are you all right? You've hardly touched your lunch.

       1 more example

       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.

       1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax

       Synonyms: consume, discuss, get outside, ingest, partake, put away

   12. intransitiveOf a ship or its passengers: to land, to make a short stop (at).First known use 16th c.

       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.

       1851 November 14, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC

   13. historicaltransitiveTo lay hands on (someone suffering from scrofula) as a form of cure, as formerly practised by English and French monarchs.First known use 17th c.

       But in fact the English kings of the seventeenth century usually began to touch from the day of their accession, without waiting for any such consecration.

       1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society, published 2012, page 189

   14. intransitiveobsoleteTo fasten; to take effect; to make impression.

       Strong waters pierce metals, and will touch upon gold, that will not touch upon silver.

       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

   15. nauticalTo bring (a sail) so close to the wind that its weather leech shakes.
   16. intransitivenauticalTo be brought, as a sail, so close to the wind that its weather leech shakes.
   17. nauticalTo keep the ship as near (the wind) as possible.

       to touch the wind

2. Primarily non-physical senses.
   1. transitiveTo imbue or endow with a specific quality.First known use 14th c.

      My grandfather, as many people know, was touched with greatness.

      1 more example

      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.

      1988 April 9, Vicki Gabriner, “Dancing for the Living and the Dead”, in Gay Community News, page 6

   2. archaictransitiveTo deal with in speech or writing; to mention briefly, to allude to.First known use 14th c.

      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.

      1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 1, section 2, member 7, subsection 4

      Synonyms: bring up, mention, move, reference, toss up, touch on

   3. intransitiveTo deal with in speech or writing; briefly to speak or write (on or upon something).First known use 14th c.

      '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.[…]'

      1886 January 5, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Dr. Jekyll Was Quite at Ease”, in Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, page 33

      Synonyms: refer, affect, bear upon, bear on, concern, impact, involve, pertain

   4. transitiveTo concern, to have to do with.First known use 14th–19th c.

      Men of Israhell take hede to youreselves what ye entende to do as touchinge these men.

      1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Acts

      2 more examples

      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.

      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

      And now it seemed he was engaged in something which touched them closely, but must be hidden from their knowledge.

      1919, Saki, ‘The Penance’, The Toys of Peace, Penguin 2000 (Complete Short Stories), page 423

   5. transitiveusuallywith negationTo engage with, to be involved with.

      I wouldn't touch that with a ten-foot pole.

      1 more example

      His latest play is so shocking that his publisher wouldn't touch it and his friends almost dumped him.

      2005 February 9, Lyn Gardner, “The devil inside”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 27 Apr 2023

   6. transitiveTo affect emotionally; to bring about tender or painful feelings in.First known use 14th c.

      Stefan was touched by the song's message of hope.

      1 more example

      If you are so fond over her iniquity, give her patent to offend, for if it touch not you, it comes near nobody.

      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]

      Synonyms: affect, move, stir

   7. datedtransitiveTo affect in a negative way, especially only slightly.First known use 16th c.

      He had been drinking over lunch, and was clearly touched.

   8. ScottishtransitivehistoryTo give royal assent to by touching it with the sceptre.First known use 17th c.

      The bill was finally touched after many hours of deliberation.

   9. slangtransitiveTo obtain money from, usually by borrowing (from a friend).First known use 18th c.

      I was running short, so I touched old Bertie for a fiver.

   10. transitivealways passiveTo disturb the mental functions of; to make somewhat insane; often followed with "in the head".First known use 18th c.

       You must be touched if you think I'm taking your advice.

       Synonyms: dement, becraze, craze, crazy up, delirate, dement, dementate, distract

   11. transitiveTo be on the level of; to approach in excellence or quality.First known use 19th c.

       '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.'

       1934, Agatha Christie, chapter 6, in Murder on the Orient Express, London: HarperCollins, published 2017, page 118

       1 more example

       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.

       1928, Dorothy L. Sayers, “The Abominable History of the Man with Copper Fingers”, in Lord Peter Views the Body

       Synonyms: match, rival, as good as, compeer, correspond, equal, equate to, keep pace

   12. transitiveTo come close to; to approach.

       On Sunday afternoon it was as dark as night, with barely room for two riders abreast on a gradient that touches 20%.

       2012 July 15, Richard Williams, Tour de France 2012: Carpet tacks cannot force Bradley Wiggins off track, Guardian Unlimited

       Synonyms: near

   13. transitivecomputingTo mark (a file or document) as having been modified.
3. To try; to prove, as with a touchstone.

   I mean to touch your love indeed.

   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

4. To mark or delineate with touches; to add a slight stroke to with the pencil or brush.

   The lines, though touched but faintly, are drawn right.

   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

5. obsoleteTo infect; to affect slightly.

   Hee was touched with great Remorse

   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

6. To strike; to manipulate; to play on.

   to touch an instrument of music

   1 more example

   [They] touched their golden harps.

   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

7. To perform, as a tune; to play.

   A person in the royal retinue touched a light and lively air on the flageolet.

   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

8. To influence by impulse; to impel forcibly.

   No decree of mine,[…][to] touch with lightest moment of impulse his free will.

   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

plural touches

1. countableuncountableAn act of touching, especially with the hand or finger.

   Suddenly, in the crowd, I felt a touch at my shoulder.

   Synonyms: contact, contaction, taction

2. countableuncountableThe faculty or sense of perception by physical contact.

   With the lights out, she had to rely on touch to find her desk.

   Synonyms: tactition, tact, tactility, taction, tactition

3. countableuncountableThe style or technique with which one plays a musical instrument.

   He performed one of Ravel's piano concertos with a wonderfully light and playful touch.

4. countableuncountableentertainmentThe particular or characteristic mode of action, or the resistance of the keys of an instrument to the fingers.

   a heavy touch, or a light touch

5. countableuncountableA distinguishing feature or characteristic.

   Clever touches like this are what make her such a brilliant writer.

   Synonyms: trait, attribute, characteristic, designation, vein, distinctiveness, feature, hallmark

6. countableuncountableA little bit; a small amount.

   Move it left just a touch and it will be perfect.

   4 more examples

   I'd like to see a touch more enthusiasm in the project.

   Madam, I have a touch of your condition.

   c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv]

   In another example, there are a few touches of white above the eye, and a white postocular stripe, which becomes quite broad where it terminates on the side of the neck.

   1886, “The Masked Bob-white (Colinus ridgewayi) of Arizona, and its Allies”, in Joel Asaph Allen, editor, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, American Museum of Natural History, page 282

   We had looked forward to four or five days' work in Ying-shan similar to that in Yün-mung, but at the end of our two days' walk from the one city to the other (they lie more than fifty miles apart), Mr. Terrell had a touch of fever, so we judged it best to remain in Ying-shan only for a day and then travel as quickly as possible by chair to Teh-ngan to consult our good friend, Dr. Morley, of the Wesleyan Mission Hospital in that city, and from thence take boat for Hankow....

   1894, “From Month to Month”, in The Chronicle of the London Missionary Society, number 33, Readers Union, →OCLC, page 220

   Synonyms: smidgen, ace, atom, thought, atomy, aught, bissel, continental

7. countableuncountableThe part of a sports field beyond the touchlines or goal-lines.

   He got the ball, and kicked it straight out into touch.

8. uncountableA relationship of close communication or understanding.

   lose touch

   1 more example

   He promised to keep in touch while he was away.

   Synonyms: connection, contact

9. countableuncountableThe ability to perform a task well; aptitude.

   I used to be a great chess player but I've lost my touch.

   1 more example

   Rovers' hopes of pulling off one of the great European shocks of all time lasted just 10 minutes before Spurs finally found their scoring touch.

   2011 September 29, Jon Smith, “Tottenham 3 - 1 Shamrock Rovers”, in BBC Sport

   Synonyms: proficiency, ability, technique, aptitude, capacity, craft, capability, competency

10. countableobsoleteuncountableAct or power of exciting emotion.

    Not alone / The death of Fulvia, with more urgent touches, / Do strongly speak to us.

    c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]

11. countableobsoleteuncountableAn emotion or affection.

    a true, natural, and a sensible touch of mercy

    [1594], Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Iohn Windet, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page)

    Synonyms: feeling, affect, emotion, feeling, kibun, sensation, sentiment, senniment

12. countableobsoleteuncountablePersonal reference or application.

    Speech of touch toward others should be sparingly used.

    1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Discourse”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC

13. countableuncountableA single stroke on a drawing or a picture.

    Never give the least touch with your pencil till you have well examined your design.

    1695, John Dryden, The Art of Painting

14. countableobsoleteuncountableA brief essay.

    Print my preface in such form as, in the booksellers' phrase, will make a sixpenny touch.

    1713, A Preface to Bishop Burnet's Introduction, Jonathan Swift

    Synonyms: essayette, essaylet, miniessay

15. countableobsoleteuncountableA touchstone; hence, stone of the sort used for touchstone.

    Now do I play the touch.

    c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]

    1 more example

    a neat new monument of touch and alabaster

    1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI)

16. countableobsoleteuncountableExamination or trial by some decisive standard; test; proof; tried quality.

    friends of noble touch

    c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]

    1 more example

    equity, the true touch of all laws

    1609, Richard Carew, The Survey of Cornwall, London: […] S[imon] S[tafford] for Iohn Iaggard, […], →OCLC

17. countableuncountablebusinessThe broadest part of a plank worked top and but, or of one worked anchor-stock fashion (that is, tapered from the middle to both ends); also, the angles of the stern timbers at the counters.

    Set off the exact Length forward and aftward from the Observation of the rising of the Keel, by Shipwrights called the Touch, or Place where the Keel's upper Part ends to be streight.

    1711, William Sutherland, The Ship-Builder's Assistant

18. countableuncountableThe children's game of tag.

    Synonyms: it, dobby, it, hit, tig, tiggy, tuggy, catch

19. countableuncountablebell-ringingA set of changes less than the total possible on seven bells, i.e. less than 5,040.
20. countableslanguncountableAn act of borrowing or stealing something; a request for money.

    But towards evening I got a touch at a cove's suck, and eased him of twenty-two quids and a lil, which I took in the usual manner, when he was entering the inn door.

    1821, David Haggart, Life of David Haggart, 2nd edition, Edinburgh: James Ballantyne & Co, page 105

    2 more examples

    Supposedly Pickle has a line on a group of wealthy donors who were about to make a big drop on Chuy's campaign, now that he is in the runoff. I ask Pickle about the timing of this donation because Crawford and I are about to put the touch on the campaign for another five grand.

    2017, Mike Houlihan, Nothin's On The Square: 82 Days on the Mayoral Campaign

    Brody would have to pay her, so if all else failed she would have some control. She would have sex on her terms, not his. She would give him the relief he craved, and also relieve him of 500 quid while she was at it. A sweet little touch to keep her ahead of the game.

    2023, Jo Draxler, A Single Breath of Air

21. countableslanguncountableThe extent to which a person is interested or affected; the amount of outlay on something.

    1 more example

    Such was Tim Whiffle on the Sunday, with the addition of a cane to indicate riding, it is true he had long had a penchant to a pair of spurs but did not as yet sport them, although a half crown touch at some livery stables was positively decided upon in his own mind, though hitherto the dread of a fall from a horse had prevented the execution of his magnanimous plan.

    1804, William Henry Ireland, The Woman of Feeling, volume 2, page 232

    Synonyms: consideration, expenditure, payment

22. UKcountabledateduncountablebusinessTallow.
23. countableuncountableForm; standard of performance.

    2019 In the mix: Who's pushing for selection for round seven? Australian Football League, 30 April 2019. Accessed 6 May 2019. Jackson Hately, Isaac Cumming and Nick Shipley have been in great touch in the NEAFL.

24. countableuncountableAustralian rules footballA disposal of the ball during a game, i.e. a kick or a handball.

    2019 In the mix: Who's pushing for selection for round seven? Australian Football League, 30 April 2019. Accessed 6 May 2019. With just six touches, small forward Daniel Rioli was uncharacteristically quiet against Melbourne, although he did lay five tackles.

25. Australiacountableuncountabletouch football (a variant of rugby league that does not involve tackling)