INDEX:
1. to put your hand on someone or something
2. to touch someone or something in a gentle or loving way
3. to touch someone or something accidentally
4. when two things are so close that they touch each other
5. what something feels like when you touch it
6. what you say to tell someone not to touch something
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ HOLD
↑ FEEL (3)
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1. to put your hand on someone or something
▷ touch /tʌtʃ/ [transitive verb]
to put your fingers or hand onto someone or something :
▪ Don’t touch the plates - they’re hot!
▪ I cut my knee last week, and it still hurts if I touch it.
▪ Barry never lets anyone touch the piano.
▪ ‘What are you thinking?’ she asked, touching his arm.
▷ feel /fiːl/ []
to touch something in order to find out how hard or soft, hot, cold etc it is :
▪ Just feel this material - it’s so soft!
▪ The nurse felt his forehead to see if he had a fever.
▪ ‘The flowers look so real - I can’t believe they’re silk,’ she said, feeling the petals.
▷ run your hand over/along/across/through etc /ˌrʌn jɔːʳ ˈhænd əʊvəʳ/ [verb phrase]
to move your hand over something and feel the surface of it :
▪ She ran her hand over the satiny black surface of the piano.
▪ The man took off his cap and ran his hand through his thick brown hair.
▪ I ran my hand along the wall, looking for a light switch.
▷ rub /rʌb/ [transitive verb]
to move your hands or fingers quickly backwards and forwards over part of your body, while pressing down, especially in order to make a pain less severe :
▪ Colin yawned and rubbed his eyes.
▪ Could you rub my neck? It’s really stiff.
▪ Bill had fallen on the path and was rubbing his knee.
▷ scratch /skrætʃ/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to rub your finger nails hard on part of your skin, for example because it itches :
▪ Don’t scratch - the rash will get infected.
▪ He sat scratching his head, trying to think of the answer.
▪ There’s a spot in the middle of my back that itches - can you scratch it for me?
▷ fiddle with /ˈfɪdl wɪð/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to hold something small in your hands and keep moving it around, especially because you are nervous or bored :
▪ She fiddled nervously with her watch strap.
▪ Stop fiddling with your toys and pay attention.
2. to touch someone or something in a gentle or loving way
▷ stroke /strəʊk/ [transitive verb]
to move your hand or fingers over part of someone’s body in a gentle, loving way :
▪ Miss Poole calmed herself by stroking the cat’s fur.
▪ Her mother sat beside her and stroked her forehead until she fell asleep again.
▪ The old priest stroked his white beard as he listened.
▷ pat /pæt/ [transitive verb]
to touch someone lightly several times with the flat part of your hand, in order to comfort them or to show them that you are pleased :
▪ ‘Don’t worry,’ he said, patting her hand gently.
▪ ‘The baby’s due in March,’ Caroline said grinning and patting her stomach.
pat somebody on the shoulder/arm/head etc
▪ She bent down and patted the dog on the head.
▷ tickle /ˈtɪk ə l/ [transitive verb]
to run your fingers quickly and gently over a sensitive part of someone’s body, in order to make them laugh :
▪ I hate being tickled.
▪ When I was little my older brother would tickle me till tears ran down my face.
▷ caress /kəˈres/ [transitive verb]
to move your hand or fingers gently over part of someone’s body in a gentle, loving, or sexual way :
▪ Barbara held the tiny baby close and caressed his cheek.
▪ He began caressing her with a surprising gentleness.
▷ fondle /ˈfɒndlǁˈfɑːndl/ [transitive verb]
to move your hand or fingers over a part of someone’s body in a loving or sexual way - use this especially about touching someone in a sexual way that is not wanted :
▪ He sat fondling her feet as she lay back in the armchair.
▪ The women allege that top male executives routinely fondled female employees.
3. to touch someone or something accidentally
▷ touch /tʌtʃ/ [transitive verb]
▪ I’m sorry - I didn’t mean to touch your sore arm.
▪ The plane came down so low that it’s wings touched the trees.
touch [singular noun]
▪ With the touch of a wrong button, she could ruin the whole program.
▷ come into contact /ˌkʌm ɪntə ˈkɒntæktǁ-ˈkɑːn-/ [verb phrase]
to touch something, especially when something else happens immediately as a result :
▪ When the two chemicals come into contact, they explode.
come into contact with
▪ If the cleaner comes into contact with your eyes, rinse well with warm water and contact a doctor.
▪ As many as 25 workers at the laboratory may have come into contact with the infected monkeys.
▷ brush /brʌʃ/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to accidentally touch someone or something lightly when passing them :
▪ The car brushed the hedges on both sides of the narrow lane.
brush against
▪ I felt something brush against the back of my head.
▪ As she passed, her bare arm brushed against his arm, sending a shiver down his spine.
▷ skim /skɪm/ [transitive verb]
to touch something lightly when moving over it very quickly :
▪ Seagulls skimmed the water, looking for fish.
▪ He threw a flat stone and watched it skim the surface of the lake.
▪ Planes skimmed the treetops as they flew in with tanks full of water to put out the fire.
▷ graze /greɪz/ [transitive verb]
to touch something lightly when passing it, sometimes causing damage :
▪ The bullet grazed the corner of the building, just missing my arm.
▪ I just barely grazed her bumper, but she’s claiming I wrecked her car.
4. when two things are so close that they touch each other
▷ touch /tʌtʃ/ [intransitive verb]
▪ He drew me closer until our bodies were touching.
▪ Don’t let the wires touch or you’ll get a very bad shock.
▪ Put the cards face down on the table so that the edges are touching.
5. what something feels like when you touch it
▷ feel /fiːl/ []
feel feel adjective
▪ The stones felt rough and warm under my feet.
▪ My skin felt waxy and I wanted to bathe.
feel like something
▪ Good imitation leather looks and feels like the real thing.
feel [singular noun]
▪ There was nothing Lucy liked more than the feel of fur against her skin.
▷ to the touch /tə ðə ˈtʌtʃ/ [adverb]
if something is cold, hard, soft etc to the touch, it feels cold, hard etc :
▪ Cotton sheets are cool and smooth to the touch.
▪ Water the soil when it becomes dry to the touch.
▪ The dog’s luxurious golden coat was thick and oily to the touch.
▷ texture /ˈtekstʃəʳ/ [countable/uncountable noun]
the way the surface of something feels, especially how rough or smooth it feels :
▪ The wood in the table had a lovely smooth texture.
coarse/smooth/gritty etc in texture
▪ Cotton is coarser in texture than silk.
6. what you say to tell someone not to touch something
▷ don’t touch /ˌdəʊnt ˈtʌtʃ/ [verb phrase] spoken
use this when you are telling someone, especially a child, not to touch something :
▪ Don’t touch! That’s daddy’s work.
▪ Those glasses were very expensive. You can look but don’t touch.
▪ Don’t touch the iron - it’s hot.
▪ How many times do I have to tell you - don’t touch my things!
▷ leave something alone /ˌliːv something əˈləʊn/ [transitive phrasal verb]
use this when you are telling someone not to touch something they are already touching :
▪ That’s a very delicate piece of equipment - please leave it alone.
▪ Our neighbor would have cut the tree down if I hadn’t told him to leave it alone.
▷ hands off /ˌhændz ˈɒf/ [verb phrase] spoken
say this when you are angrily telling someone not to touch something, especially when they are trying to take it away :
▪ Hands off my coat!
get/take/keep your hands off something
▪ Get your hands off my car!