finger
(fɪŋgəʳ )
Word forms: fingers , fingering , fingered
1. countable noun A1
Your fingers are the four long thin parts at the end of each hand.
She suddenly held up a small, bony finger and pointed across the room.
She ran her fingers through her hair.
There was a ring on each of his fingers.
Synonyms: digit, thumb, forefinger, little finger
2. See also light-fingered
3. countable noun [usually plural]
The fingers of a glove are the parts that a person's fingers fit into.
4. countable noun [noun NOUN]
A finger of something such as smoke or land is an amount of it that is shaped rather like a finger.
...a thin finger of land that separates Pakistan from the former Soviet Union. [+ of]
Cover the base with a single layer of sponge fingers.
5. See also fish finger
6. verb
If you finger something, you touch or feel it with your fingers.
He fingered the few coins in his pocket. [VERB noun]
Self-consciously she fingered the emeralds at her throat. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: touch, feel, handle, play with
7. verb
If you finger a person or organization, you tell someone, usually the police, that the person or organization has done something illegal or wrong. [informal]
Police and prosecutors manipulated the eyewitnesses so they would finger Aldo. [VERB noun]
Think of all those instances where CCTV could have fingered the suspects in no time. [VERB noun]
8. countable noun [usually NOUN of noun]
A finger of a strong alcoholic drink is an amount of it which, when it is in a glass, is the same size as the width of a person's finger.
I poured two final fingers of bourbon into my glass.
9. to get your fingers burned phrase
If you get your fingers burned or burn your fingers, you suffer because something you did or were involved in was a failure or a mistake.
He has had his fingers burnt by deals that turned out badly.
Mr Walesa burned his fingers by promising he would give every Pole 100m zlotys to start a business.
10. to cross your fingers phrase B2
If you cross your fingers, you put one finger on top of another and hope for good luck. If you say that someone is keeping their fingers crossed, you mean they are hoping for good luck.
He crossed his fingers, asking for luck for the first time in his life.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they turn up soon.
11. to lay a finger on someone phrase
If you say that someone did not lay a finger on a particular person or thing, you are emphasizing that they did not touch or harm them at all. [emphasis]
I must make it clear I never laid a finger on her.
12. to lift a finger phrase
If you say that a person does not lift a finger or raise a finger to do something, especially to help someone, you are critical of them because they do nothing. [disapproval]
She never lifted a finger around the house.
They will not lift a finger to help their country.
13. a finger in every pie phrase [Ns inflect]
If you say that someone has a finger in every pie, you mean they are involved in a lot of things.
He very much likes to have a finger in every pie.
He's a man with fingers in a lot of pies.
14. point the finger at/point an accusing finger at phrase
If you point the finger at someone or point an accusing finger at someone, you blame them or accuse them of doing wrong.
He said he wasn't pointing an accusing finger at anyone in the government or the army.
15. to point the finger of suspicion phrase [VERB inflects, PHRASE noun]
To point the finger of suspicion or blame at someone means to make people suspect them of doing wrong or blame them for doing wrong.
Forensic evidence points the finger of suspicion firmly at him.
16. pull/get one's finger out phrase
If you tell someone to pull their finger out or to get their finger out, you are telling them rudely that you want them to start doing some work or making an effort. [British, informal, disapproval]
Isn't it about time that you pulled your finger out?
17. put one's finger on sth phrase
If you put your finger on something, for example a reason or problem, you see and identify exactly what it is.
Midge couldn't quite put her finger on the reason.
He could never quite put his finger on who or what was responsible for all this.
18. to slip through your fingers phrase
If someone or something slips through your fingers, you just fail to catch them, get them, or keep them.
Money has slipped through his fingers all his life.
You mustn't allow this golden opportunity to slip through your fingers.
19. to have green fingers phrase regional note: in AM, use a green thumb
If someone has green fingers, they are very good at gardening and their plants grow well. [British]
You don't need green fingers to fill your home with lush leaves.
20. finger on the pulse phrase
If you have your finger on the pulse of something, you know all the latest opinions or developments concerning it.
He claims to have his finger on the pulse of the industry.
It's important to keep your finger on the pulse by reading all the right magazines.
Vocabulary Builder
HAND knuckle wrist fingernail palm thumb finger Idioms:
twist someone around your little finger or wrap someone around your little finger
to make someone do anything you want them to
A child who is spoilt is able to wrap her parents around her little finger.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
put your finger on something
to understand or say exactly what the cause of a problem or the answer to a question is
He had thought that Houston would have arrived at that solution first; but, no, it was Dr. Stockton who had put his finger on the truth.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
put the finger on someone [literary]
to tell a person in authority that someone has done something wrong or illegal
It's not like we put the finger on anyone real, Janie. Nobody is suffering because of what we told that detective.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
pull your finger out or get your finger out
to start working harder or to start dealing with something
Why don't you pull your finger out and get on with it.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
point the finger at someone
to blame someone for a mistake they have made or accuse them of doing something wrong
One socialist blamed the press for his suicide, but some commentators pointed a finger at the political establishment.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
not lift a finger
to not do something or not help someone at all
I'm the one who has to clean it all up. She wouldn't lift a finger if I didn't beg her.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
not lay a finger on someone
to not hurt someone in any way
The most authoritative fathers that I know have never laid a finger on their sons.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
have your finger on the pulse or keep your finger on the pulse
to know all the latest information about something or have a good understanding of how it works
Although I'm Scottish, after all these years in America I think my editors and I have our finger on the pulse of America.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
have a finger in every pie
to be involved in many different activities, often in a way that is disapproved of
He has a finger in every pie and is never short of ideas for making the next buck.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Translations:
Chinese: 手指, 用手指触摸
Japanese: 手の指, 指を触れる