释义 |
touch I. \ˈtəch, dial ˈtech or ˈtich\ verb (-ed/-ing/-es) Etymology: Middle English tochen, touchen, from Old French tochier, tuchier, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin toccare to knock, strike, strike a bell, touch, of imitative origin transitive verb 1. a. : to bring a bodily part briefly into contact with so as to feel < touching the delicate petals with gentle fingers > b. : to perceive or experience through the tactile sense < afraid to touch a hot iron > < touched his face wonderingly with exploring fingertips > c. : to put one's fingers to (the hat or the forelock) as a salute or a sign of deference 2. : to strike or push lightly : extend the hand or foot or an implement so as to reach, nudge, stir up, inspect, arouse < if you touch the snake he will strike > < turned as a hand touched his shoulder > < touched the horse with the whip > 3. a. : to examine by touching or feeling with the fingers : palpate b. : to lay hands upon (one afflicted with scrofula) — compare king's evil 4. a. archaic : to play on (a stringed instrument) < angels bending … to touch their harps of gold — E.H.Sears > b. archaic : to perform (a melody) by playing or singing 5. a. : to take into the hands or mouth : make use of — used chiefly with expressed or implied negative < never touches alcohol in any form > < hardly touched his dinner > < had never touched a card before then > < hasn't touched the piano since his wife's death > b. : to put hands upon in any way or in any degree : disturb or affect by handling — used chiefly with expressed or implied negative < your things haven't been touched while you were away > < don't touch anything before the police come > c. : to have sexual intercourse with — used chiefly with real or implied negative < doubt if he had ever touched a woman before his marriage > d. : to lay violent hands on : commit violence upon — used chiefly with expressed or implied negative < swears he never touched the child > 6. : to have to do with : concern oneself with : meddle with — used chiefly with expressed or implied negative < strictly his affair, I wouldn't touch it for anything > 7. a. : to gain the use of : get access to < unable to touch the capital of the estate > b. slang : pick up : steal 8. a. obsolete : to tamper with : bribe b. : to rob by swindling : cheat c. : pick the pocket of < touched him for his watch > d. : to induce to give or lend < touched him for ten dollars > 9. a. : to cause to be briefly and lightly in contact or conjunction with something < touched his hand to his cap > < touched his spurs to his horse > < solemnly raised and touched glasses > < touched gloves with his opponent to start the last round > b. : to lay the scepter upon (an act of parliament) as a sign of royal assent c. : to apply lightly to : spread thinly on < touch a pimple with iodine > 10. a. (1) : to meet without overlapping or penetrating : be or become contiguous or adjacent to : impinge upon : adjoin < where the edges of the figure touch the border > (2) : to get to : reach < the speedometer needle touched 80 > b. : to be tangent to c. : to come up to in quality or value : compare with — used usually with a negative < nothing can touch that cloth for durability > < not a fighter in his weight division to touch him > d. : to sail as close to (the wind) as possible 11. a. : to deal with or treat of : handle < everything he touches becomes clearer than before > < pamphlets touching nearly every aspect of rural life > b. : to make allusion or slight mention of : speak or tell of in passing < touched so many topics that only a confused impression remained at the end > 12. : to relate to : affect the interest of : concern < alert to anything that touched his personal honor > < their profession touches our national defense very closely — Vannevar Bush > 13. a. : to leave a mark or impression on : make signs of wear, use, or slight damage on — used chiefly with a negative < so hard no ordinary cutter will touch it > < his war experiences seem not to have touched him at all > b. obsolete : magnetize c. : to harm slightly by or as if by contagion, contamination, or blight : taint, blemish, sour, spoil in a slight degree < fruit touched by frost > < this horse is touched in the wind > d. : to give a delicate tint, line, or expression to < a smile touched her lips > < admiration faintly touched with envy > 14. a. : to test the purity of (as gold) with a touchstone : assay, try b. : to stamp or mark (as gold, silver) after an official assay 15. a. : to draw or delineate with light strokes < the lines though touched but faintly are drawn right — Alexander Pope > b. : to improve or modify by or as if by light strokes : touch up 16. : to reach the heart or secret of : guess at correctly : fathom < there you touched the life of our design — Shakespeare > 17. a. : to hurt the feelings of : wound, sting < the insult touched him to the quick > b. : to shame or discomfit by hitting the truth < his face hardened, the last remark had touched him on a sore spot > c. : to move to sympathetic feeling (as pity, gratitude, remorse, tenderness) < touched by the loyalty of his friends > intransitive verb 1. a. : to feel something with a body part (as the hand or foot) b. : to lay hand or finger on a person to cure disease (as scrofula) < he touched for the king's evil > 2. a. : to be in such a position that no space exists between : be in contact < two spheres can touch only at points > < sat with their heads nearly touching > b. : to be next to another suit in rank of playing cards < diamonds touch hearts > < diamonds and clubs are touching suits > 3. a. : to come close : approach : verge < his actions touch on treason > b. of a sail : to turn so close to the wind that the weather leech shakes < keep the royals touching > 4. : to have a bearing : relate, pertain — used with on or upon 5. a. : to make a brief or incidental stop on shore during a trip by water — used usually with at < touched at several ports on the return voyage > b. : to treat a topic in a brief or casual manner — used with on or upon < touched upon many points without enlarging upon any of them > 6. : to improve or modify something with slight strokes or alterations : retouch < endlessly touching and retouching before he was satisfied with the picture > Synonyms: see affect, match • - touch and go - touch bottom - touch elbows - touch wood II. noun (-es) Etymology: partly from Middle English touche, from Old French, from tochier, tuchier to touch; partly from touch (I) 1. a. : a light stroke, tap, or push < ready to fall at a touch > b. : a light stroke of wit or satire : knock, dig c. : the contact of a fencer's point or blade against the opponent's target that scores a point 2. a. : the act or fact of touching, feeling, striking lightly, or coming in contact < saluted with a touch to his cap > b. : palpation 3. : the sense by which pressure or traction exerted on the skin or mucous membrane is perceived : the tactile sense as distinguished from the pain, temperature, and kinesthetic senses 4. : mental or moral sensitiveness, responsiveness, or tact < she has a wonderful touch in dealing with children > < our high task to use our power with a sure hand and a steady touch — A.E.Stevenson b. 1900 > < a skilled writer but lacking the popular touch > 5. : a specified sensation conveyed through the tactile receptors : feel < the velvety touch of a fabric > 6. a. : the act of rubbing gold or silver on a touchstone to test its quality b. : the quality or degree of fineness of metal so tested c. : the official stamp upon a tested metal of standard quality d. : touchmark e. archaic : tested or proven quality or character < friends of noble touch — Shakespeare > 7. a. obsolete : touchstone 1 b. : test, trial — used chiefly in the phrase put to the touch 8. a. : a visible effect : stamp, mark < touch of the tropical sun > < woman with what we used to call the touch of good breeding upon her — Morris Markey > b. : weakness, defect < a touch in his wits > < one touch of nature makes the whole world kin — Shakespeare > c. obsolete : injury to reputation : reproach, blame 9. : something slight of its kind: as a. : a light attack < touch of fever > b. : a small quantity : trace, dash < touch of spring in the air > < touch of garlic in the salad > < a touch of unreality about the whole affair > c. : a transient emotion : a flash of feeling < momentary touch of compunction > d. archaic : a brief mention, hint, or reminder e. : a near approach : a close call < beaten in the … backstroke championships by a mere touch — Kate Kerry > f. : bit, little — used adverbially with a < as though she had said something ridiculous and a touch discreditable — R.V.Cassill > < aimed a touch too low and missed > 10. archaic : agreement, covenant — used in the phrase to keep touch 11. a. archaic : the playing of an instrument (as a lute or piano) with the fingers; also : musical notes or strains so produced < with sweetest touches pierce your mistress' ears — Shakespeare > b. : a manner or method of touching or striking especially the keys of a keyboard instrument < requiring a staccato touch > also : one's characteristic style in striking keys < have a firm touch > c. : particular or characteristic action of a keyboard instrument with reference to the resistance of its keys to pressure < a piano with a stiff touch > < typewriter with a light touch > 12. : a set of changes in change ringing less than the total number possible or less than a peal 13. : a light or delicate stroke in creating or improving an artistic composition : an effective or touching-up detail < that was a vivid touch in his last story > < the work is complete except for the finishing touches > < hotel service with a personal touch > 14. : distinctive manner or method < this room needs a woman's touch > : characteristic skill of a workman or artist in the manipulation of his instruments or materials < the billiard player had lost his touch > < the painting shows the touch of a master > 15. : a characteristic or distinguishing trait or quality 16. a. slang : an act of borrowing, swindling, or stealing < beggar making his touch > : theft b. : a victim of borrowing or swindling < recognized him early as a soft touch for a loan — John Lardner > 17. slang a. : a method of inducing someone to buy or to accept a deal b. : something that will sell at a named price c. : a sale effected by dubious means 18. : the state or fact of being in contact or communication < lost touch with the other boats in the fog > < keeping in touch with distant relations > < kept in close touch with headquarters by phone > < out of touch with modern methods > 19. : tag III 1 20. : the broadest part of a plank worked top and butt : the angles of the stern timbers at the counters of a ship 21. : the area outside of the sidelines in soccer or outside of and including the touchlines in rugby — used usually with in or into < kicked the ball into touch > < thrown in by a player standing in touch > III. verb • - touch base |