touch

/tətʃ/

/tətʃ/

Other forms: touched; touching; touches

To touch is to come in contact with something, especially using your fingers. When your friend dares you to touch her pet spider, you'll find out what's stronger — your fear of spiders or your fear of looking like a wimp.

The verb touch also means to emotionally affect. At your grandparents' fiftieth anniversary party, it might touch you to see how much they clearly still love each other. The noun touch can mean a hint of something, or just a small amount. You might have a touch of a cold, but it isn't enough to keep you home in bed.

Definitions of touch

1. verb

   make physical contact with, come in contact with
   “Touch the stone for good luck”

   types:

   engage

   get caught

   toe

   touch with the toe

   pick up

   take up by hand

   hit, strike

   produce by manipulating keys or strings of musical instruments, also metaphorically

   finger, thumb

   feel or handle with the fingers

   feel, palpate

   examine (a body part) by palpation

   handle, palm

   touch, lift, or hold with the hands

   stroke

   touch lightly and repeatedly, as with brushing motions

   collide with, hit, impinge on, run into, strike

   hit against; come into sudden contact with

   brush

   touch lightly and briefly

   skim, skim over

   move or pass swiftly and lightly over the surface of

   hit

   deal a blow to, either with the hand or with an instrument

   strike, zonk

   deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon

   buss, kiss, osculate, snog

   touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.

   kiss

   touch lightly or gently

   mouth

   touch with the mouth

   press

   exert pressure or force to or upon

   tag

   touch a player while he is holding the ball

   stub

   strike (one's toe) accidentally against an object

   lock

   become rigid or immoveable

   field

   catch or pick up (balls) in baseball or cricket

   fumble

   handle clumsily

   manipulate

   hold something in one's hands and move it

   caress, fondle

   touch or stroke lightly in a loving or endearing manner

   jab

   strike or punch with quick and short blows

   dab, pat

   hit lightly

   bunt, butt

   to strike, thrust or shove against

   ping

   hit with a pinging noise

   bang, spang

   leap, jerk, bang

   rear-end

   collide with the rear end of

   broadside

   collide with the broad side of

   clap

   strike with the flat of the hand; usually in a friendly way, as in encouragement or greeting

   connect

   land on or hit solidly

   spat

   strike with a sound like that of falling rain

   thud

   strike with a dull sound

   bottom

   strike the ground, as with a ship's bottom

   bottom out

   hit the ground

   knock, strike hard

   deliver a sharp blow or push :"He knocked the glass clear across the room"

   bump, knock

   knock against with force or violence

   cut down, down, knock down, pull down, push down

   cause to come or go down

   bump into, butt against, jar against, knock against, run into

   collide violently with an obstacle

   crease, graze, rake

   scrape gently

   spur

   strike with a spur

   flick

   touch or hit with a light, quick blow

   bang, slam

   strike violently

   lace into, lam into, lay into, pitch into, tear into

   hit violently, as in an attack

   beak, peck, pick

   hit lightly with a picking motion

   tap, tip

   strike lightly

   hew

   strike with an axe; cut down, strike

   sideswipe

   strike from the side

   kick

   strike with the foot

   swipe

   strike with a swiping motion

   smite

   inflict a heavy blow on, with the hand, a tool, or a weapon

   hook

   hit with a hook

   swat

   hit swiftly with a violent blow

   bash, bonk, bop, sock, whap, whop

   hit hard

   lash, whip

   strike as if by whipping

   beat

   hit repeatedly

   beat

   strike (a part of one's own body) repeatedly, as in great emotion or in accompaniment to music

   bean

   hit on the head, especially with a pitched baseball

   pop

   hit or strike

   catch, get

   reach with a blow or hit in a particular spot

   conk

   hit, especially on the head

   cosh

   hit with a cosh, usually on the head

   brain

   hit on the head

   blast, boom, nail, smash

   hit hard

   crack

   hit forcefully; deal a hard blow, making a cracking noise

   sandbag, stun

   hit something or somebody as if with a sandbag

   sclaff

   strike (the ground) in making a sclaff

   manhandle

   handle roughly

   clout

   strike hard, especially with the fist

   bat

   strike with, or as if with a baseball bat

   bat

   use a bat

   bat

   have a turn at bat

   cut

   hit (a ball) with a spin so that it turns in the opposite direction

   knap, rap

   strike sharply

   poke, pound, thump

   hit hard with the hand, fist, or some heavy instrument

   smack, thwack

   deliver a hard blow to

   belt

   deliver a blow to

   plug, punch

   deliver a quick blow to

   chop

   strike sharply, as in some sports

   slog, slug, swig

   strike heavily, especially with the fist or a bat

   wallop, whack, wham, whop

   hit hard

   biff, pommel, pummel

   strike, usually with the fist

   slap

   hit with something flat, like a paddle or the open hand

   sclaff

   strike (a golf ball) such that the ground is scraped first

   buff, buffet

   strike, beat repeatedly

   batter, buffet, knock about

   strike against forcefully

   box

   hit with the fist

   bludgeon, club

   strike with a club or a bludgeon

   cudgel, fustigate

   strike with a cudgel

   peck, smack

   kiss lightly

   lap, lick

   pass the tongue over

   squeeze

   press firmly

   clash, collide

   crash together with violent impact

   crush, mash, squash, squeeze, squelch

   compress with violence, out of natural shape or condition

   cranch, craunch, crunch, grind

   press or grind with a crushing noise

   bear down, bear down on, drag down, press down on, weigh down

   exert a force with a heavy weight

   nab

   tag the base runner to get him out

   knuckle

   press or rub with the knuckles

   push

   press against forcefully without moving

   glance

   hit at an angle
2. verb

   perceive via the tactile sense
   “Helen Keller felt the physical world by touching people and objects around her”

   type of:

   comprehend, perceive

   become aware of through the senses
3. verb

   cause to be in brief contact with
   “He touched his toes to the horse's flanks”
4. verb

   be in direct physical contact with; make contact
   “The two buildings touch”

   “Their hands touched”

   synonyms: adjoin, contact, meet

   converge, meet

   be adjacent or come together

   types:

   cover, spread over

   form a cover over

   adhere, cleave, cling, cohere, stick

   come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation

   chafe, fray, fret, rub, scratch

   cause friction

   attach

   be attached; be in contact with

   hug

   fit closely or tightly

   abut, adjoin, border, butt, butt against, butt on, edge, march

   lie adjacent to another or share a boundary

   border, environ, ring, skirt, surround

   extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle

   lean against, lean on, rest on

   rest on for support

   flood

   cover with liquid, usually water

   bloody

   cover with blood

   mist, mist over

   become covered with mist

   glaciate

   cover with ice or snow or a glacier

   strew

   cover; be dispersed over

   grass, grass over

   cover with grass

   mold

   fit tightly, follow the contours of

   conglutinate

   stick together

   agglutinate

   clump together; as of bacteria, red blood cells, etc.

   cake, coat

   form a coat over

   drown, overwhelm, submerge

   cover completely or make imperceptible

   leech onto

   admire boundlessly and follow around

   fringe

   decorate with or as if with a surrounding fringe

   gird, girdle

   put a girdle on or around

   cloister

   surround with a cloister

   close in, enclose, inclose, shut in

   surround completely

   mantle

   cover like a mantle

   hem in

   surround in a restrictive manner

   cloak, clothe, drape, robe

   cover as if with clothing

   neighbor, neighbour

   be located near or adjacent to

   cloister

   surround with a cloister, as of a garden

   blanket

   form a blanket-like cover (over)

   carpet

   form a carpet-like cover (over)

   smother

   form an impenetrable cover over

   shroud

   form a cover like a shroud
5. verb

   to extend as far as
   synonyms: extend to, reach

   types:

   reach into

   run into or up to

   type of:

   be

   occupy a certain position or area; be somewhere
6. verb

   be equal to in quality or ability
   “Your performance doesn't even touch that of your colleagues”

   synonyms: equal, match, rival

   equal, equalise, equalize, equate, match

   make equal, uniform, corresponding, or matching

   type of:

   compete, contend, vie

   compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others
7. verb

   tamper with
   “Don't touch my CDs!”

   synonyms: disturb

   types:

   upset

   disturb the balance or stability of

   violate

   destroy

   type of:

   alter, change, modify

   cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
8. verb

   consume
   “She didn't touch her food all night”

   synonyms: partake

   types:

   receive

   partake of the Holy Eucharist sacrament

   type of:

   consume, have, ingest, take, take in

   serve oneself to, or consume regularly
9. noun

   the faculty by which external objects or forces are perceived through contact with the body (especially the hands)
   “only sight and touch enable us to locate objects in the space around us”

   synonyms: cutaneous senses, sense of touch, skin senses, touch modality

   type of:

   exteroception

   sensitivity to stimuli originating outside of the body

   somatosense

   any of the sensory systems that mediate sensations of pressure and tickle and warmth and cold and vibration and limb position and limb movement and pain
10. noun

    the sensation produced by pressure receptors in the skin
    “she likes the touch of silk on her skin”

    synonyms: feeling, tactile sensation, tactual sensation, touch sensation

    types:

    creepiness

    an uneasy sensation as of insects creeping on your skin

    cutaneous sensation, haptic sensation, skin sensation

    a sensation localized on the skin

    tickle

    a cutaneous sensation often resulting from light stroking

    itch, itchiness, itching

    an irritating cutaneous sensation that produces a desire to scratch

    topognosia, topognosis

    recognition of the location of a stimulus on the skin

    urtication

    a sensation of having been stung by nettles

    type of:

    perception

    the process of perceiving
11. noun

    the event of something coming in contact with the body
    “he longed for the touch of her hand”

    “the cooling touch of the night air”

    synonyms: touching

    types:

    brush, light touch

    momentary contact

    stroke

    a light touch

    type of:

    contact, impinging, striking

    the physical coming together of two or more things
12. noun

    the act of putting two things together with no space between them
    “at his touch the room filled with lights”

    synonyms: touching

    types:

    contact, physical contact

    the act of touching physically

    dab, pat, tap

    a light touch or stroke

    hit, hitting, striking

    the act of contacting one thing with another

    dig, jab

    the act of touching someone suddenly with your finger or elbow

    kiss

    a light glancing touch

    buss, kiss, osculation

    the act of caressing with the lips (or an instance thereof)

    catch, grab, snap, snatch

    the act of catching an object with the hands

    handling, manipulation

    the action of touching with the hands (or the skillful use of the hands) or by the use of mechanical means

    fingering

    touching something with the fingers

    grope

    the act of groping; and instance of groping

    palpation, tactual exploration

    a method of examination in which the examiner feels the size or shape or firmness or location of something (of body parts when the examiner is a health professional)

    tickle, tickling, titillation

    the act of tickling

    stroke, stroking

    a light touch with the hands

    tag

    (sports) the act of touching a player in a game (which changes their status in the game)

    lap, lick

    touching with the tongue

    grazing, shaving, skimming

    the act of brushing against while passing

    rub, wipe

    the act of rubbing or wiping

    contusion

    the action of bruising

    crash, smash

    the act of colliding with something

    fielding

    (baseball) handling the ball while playing in the field

    fair ball

    (baseball) a ball struck with the bat so that it stays between the lines (the foul lines) that define the width of the playing field

    snick

    a glancing contact with the ball off the edge of the cricket bat

    bunt

    (baseball) the act of hitting a baseball lightly without swinging the bat

    fly, fly ball

    (baseball) a hit that flies up in the air

    ground ball, groundball, grounder, hopper

    (baseball) a hit that travels along the ground

    header

    (soccer) the act of hitting the ball with your head

    scorcher, screamer

    a very hard hit ball

    plunk, plunker

    (baseball) hitting a baseball so that it drops suddenly

    laying on

    the act of contacting something with your hand

    smack, smooch

    an enthusiastic kiss

    French kiss, deep kiss, soul kiss

    an openmouthed kiss in which your tongue is inserted into the other's mouth

    fair catch

    (American football) a catch of a punt on the fly by a defensive player who has signalled that he will not run and so should not be tackled

    interception

    (American football) the act of catching a football by a player on the opposing team

    reception

    (American football) the act of catching a pass in football

    rebound

    the act of securing possession of the rebounding basketball after a missed shot

    shoestring catch

    (baseball) a running catch made near the ground

    interlock, interlocking, mesh, meshing

    the act of interlocking or meshing

    ballottement

    a palpatory technique for feeling a floating object in the body (especially for determining the position of a fetus by feeling the rebound of the fetus after a quick digital tap on the wall of the uterus)

    caress

    a gentle affectionate stroking (or something resembling it)

    type of:

    act, deed, human action, human activity

    something that people do or cause to happen
13. noun

    the feel of mechanical action
    “this piano has a wonderful touch”

    type of:

    feel, tactile property

    a property perceived by touch
14. noun

    a communicative interaction
    “he got in touch with his colleagues”

    synonyms: contact

    type of:

    communicating, communication

    the activity of communicating; the activity of conveying information
15. verb

    affect emotionally
    “I was touched by your kind letter of sympathy”

    synonyms: stir

    types:

    get

    evoke an emotional response

    type of:

    affect, impress, move, strike

    have an emotional or cognitive impact upon
16. verb

    have an effect upon
    synonyms: affect, bear on, bear upon, impact, touch on

    types:

    strike a blow

    affect adversely

    repercuss

    cause repercussions; have an unwanted effect

    tell on

    produce an effect or strain on somebody

    redound

    have an effect for good or ill

    excite, stimulate

    act as a stimulant

    process, treat

    subject to a process or treatment, with the aim of readying for some purpose, improving, or remedying a condition

    hydrolise, hydrolize

    make a compound react with water and undergo hydrolysis

    color, colour, distort, tinge

    affect as in thought or feeling

    endanger, expose, peril, queer, scupper

    put in a dangerous, disadvantageous, or difficult position

    hit, strike

    affect or afflict suddenly, usually adversely

    subject

    cause to experience or suffer or make liable or vulnerable to

    bother, discommode, disoblige, incommode, inconvenience, put out, trouble

    cause inconvenience or discomfort to

    act upon, influence, work

    have and exert influence or effect

    slam-dunk

    make a forceful move against

    propagate

    cause to propagate, as by grafting or layering

    bacterise, bacterize

    subject to the action of bacteria

    iodise, iodize

    treat with iodine

    nitrate

    treat with nitric acid, so as to change an organic compound into a nitrate

    tank

    treat in a tank

    aerate, oxygenate, oxygenise, oxygenize

    impregnate, combine, or supply with oxygen

    mercerise, mercerize

    treat to strengthen and improve the luster

    malt

    treat with malt or malt extract

    fluoridate, fluoridise, fluoridize

    subject to fluoridation; treat with fluoride

    creosote

    treat with creosote

    chlorinate

    treat or combine with chlorine

    carbonate

    treat with carbon dioxide

    camphorate

    treat with camphor

    bromate, brominate

    treat with bromine

    ammoniate

    treat with ammonia

    irradiate, ray

    expose to radiation

    scald

    treat with boiling water

    invigorate, quicken

    give life or energy to

    refine

    treat or prepare so as to put in a usable condition

    innervate

    stimulate to action

    irritate

    excite to some characteristic action or condition, such as motion, contraction, or nervous impulse, by the application of a stimulus

    nitrify, nitrogenise, nitrogenize

    treat with nitrogen or a nitrogen compound

    reverberate

    treat, process, heat, melt, or refine in a reverberatory furnace

    curry

    treat tanned leather with oil or grease

    seed

    sprinkle with silver iodide particles to disperse and cause rain

    dose

    treat with an agent; add (an agent) to

    sulfur, sulphur

    treat with sulphur in order to preserve

    vulcanise, vulcanize

    treat with sulfur and heat to make stronger or more elastic

    chrome

    treat with a chromium compound

    bituminise, bituminize

    treat with bitumen

    Agenise, Agenize

    age or bleach flour with Agene (nitrogen trichloride)

    run

    cause to perform

    carboxylate

    treat (a chemical compound) with carboxyl or carboxylic acid

    saccharify

    convert into a simple soluble fermentable sugar by hydrolyzing a sugar derivative or complex carbohydrate

    beneficiate

    process (ores or other raw materials), as by reduction

    prejudice, prepossess

    influence (somebody's) opinion in advance

    compromise

    expose or make liable to danger, suspicion, or disrepute

    digest

    convert food into absorbable substances

    vitriol

    expose to the effects of vitriol or injure with vitriol

    put

    cause (someone) to undergo something

    shipwreck

    cause to experience shipwreck

    refract

    subject to refraction

    expose

    expose or make accessible to some action or influence

    expose

    expose to light, of photographic film

    fume, fumigate

    treat with fumes, expose to fumes, especially with the aim of disinfecting or eradicating pests

    air-condition

    control the humidity and temperature of

    form, imprint

    establish or impress firmly in the mind

    militate

    have force or influence; bring about an effect or change

    manipulate, pull strings, pull wires

    influence or control shrewdly or deviously

    color, colour

    modify or bias

    swing, swing over

    influence decisively

    blackjack, blackmail, pressure

    exert pressure on someone through threats

    carry, persuade, sway

    win approval or support for

    get at

    influence by corruption

    fix

    influence an event or its outcome by illegal means

    distress, straiten

    bring into difficulties or distress, especially financial hardship

    dominate

    be in control

    incur

    make oneself subject to; bring upon oneself; become liable to

    type of:

    alter, change, modify

    cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
17. verb

    color lightly
    synonyms: tinct, tinge, tint

    types:

    henna

    apply henna to one's hair

    tincture

    stain or tint with a color

    complexion

    give a certain color to

    type of:

    color, color in, colorise, colorize, colour, colour in, colourise, colourize

    add color to
18. noun

    a slight but appreciable amount
    “this dish could use a touch of garlic”

    synonyms: hint, jot, mite, pinch, soupcon, speck, tinge, trifle

    types:

    snuff

    a pinch of smokeless tobacco inhaled at a single time

    type of:

    small indefinite amount, small indefinite quantity

    an indefinite quantity that is below average size or magnitude
19. noun

    a suggestion of some quality
    “there was a touch of sarcasm in his tone”

    synonyms: ghost, trace

    types:

    tang

    a suggestion of some quality

    type of:

    proffer, proposition, suggestion

    a proposal offered for acceptance or rejection
20. noun

    a slight attack of illness
    “he has a touch of rheumatism”

    synonyms: spot

    type of:

    attack

    a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition
21. noun

    a distinguishing style
    “this room needs a woman's touch”

    synonyms: signature

    types:

    common touch

    the property of appealing to people in general (usually by appearing to have qualities in common with them)

    type of:

    fashion, manner, modality, mode, style, way

    how something is done or how it happens
22. noun

    deftness in handling matters
    “he has a master's touch”

    types:

    capstone, copestone, finishing touch

    a final touch; a crowning achievement; a culmination

    type of:

    adeptness, adroitness, deftness, facility, quickness

    skillful performance or ability without difficulty
23. verb

    be relevant to
    synonyms: bear on, come to, concern, have-to doe with, pertain, refer, relate, touch on

    advert, allude

    make a more or less disguised reference to

    types:

    center, center on, concentrate on, focus on, revolve about, revolve around

    center upon

    apply, go for, hold

    be pertinent or relevant or applicable

    affect, involve, regard

    connect closely and often incriminatingly

    interest, matter to

    be of importance or consequence to

    implicate

    bring into intimate and incriminating connection

    fascinate, intrigue

    cause to be interested or curious
24. verb

    deal with; usually used with a form of negation
    type of:

    care, deal, handle, manage

    be in charge of, act on, or dispose of
25. verb

    make a more or less disguised reference to
    synonyms: advert, allude

    bear on, come to, concern, have-to doe with, pertain, refer, relate, touch on

    be relevant to

    type of:

    hint, suggest

    drop a hint; intimate by a hint
26. verb

    comprehend
    “He could not touch the meaning of the poem”

    type of:

    understand

    know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
27. noun

    the act of soliciting money (as a gift or loan)
    type of:

    solicitation

    an entreaty addressed to someone of superior status