touch

Definitions

1. verb

   To put your hand or finger on something.

   Examples

   • I touched his face softly.
   • She touched the cold glass.
   ≈contact≈feel≈grope≈handle≈touch
2. verb

   To meet or reach something.

   Examples

   • The two wires touch inside the wall.
   • The branches touch the roof of the house.
3. verb

   To be in contact with each other.

   Examples

   • Their hands touched briefly.
   • The two cars touched in the slow crash.
4. verb

   To feel something with your hand.

   Examples

   • Do not touch the wet paint.
   • She touched the fabric to feel how soft it was.
5. verb

   To harm or bother someone by contact.

   Examples

   • If you touch her, you will be in trouble.
   • Nobody dared to touch the old man's things.
6. verb

   To gently put your hand on a person.

   Examples

   • He gently touched her shoulder.
   • She touched his arm to get his attention.
   ≈caress≈fondle≈grope
7. verb

   In indirect use, to touch someone in a private way.

   Examples

   • The novel hints that he touched her.
   • The scene suggests they touched each other in the dark.
8. verb

   In old-fashioned and polite use, to have sex with.

   Examples

   • Older books sometimes used the word in this way.
   • The word touch was a polite choice in old stories.
9. verb

   To make a part of something meet a surface for a moment.

   Examples

   • He quickly touched his knee to the cold marble.
   • She just touched the rod to the ball.
10. verb

    To affect something in a certain way.

    Examples

    • The frost touched the leaves overnight.
    • Illness touched every home that winter.