finger

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Cooking Informal

n. a small amount of a drink, about the width of a finger in a glass.

n. an informal unit of measure for liquids in a glass, approximately equal to the breadth of a finger.

“He poured himself two fingers of whisky and sat down by the fire.”

“The bartender added a single finger of vermouth to the gin, following the customer's request for an exceptionally dry martini.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Vulgar · Slang

n. an insulting sign made by holding up your middle finger.

n. a vulgar gesture of contempt or defiance made by extending the middle finger.

“The angry driver gave him the finger after he accidentally cut her off.”

“The protestor was arrested after repeatedly giving the finger to the line of police officers guarding the entrance.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to touch or move something around with your fingers.

v. to touch, feel, or handle something with the fingers, often idly or curiously.

“She nervously fingered her necklace while she waited for the interview to start.”

“He stood by the window, absently fingering the velvet curtains as he contemplated the difficult decision ahead.”

C1 · Advanced Law Informal · Slang

v. to point someone out to the police as the person who did a crime.

v. to identify or name a person as a perpetrator to the authorities.

“The witness fingered the man in the blue jacket as the thief.”

“Under intense interrogation, the suspect eventually fingered his accomplices in exchange for a reduced sentence.”

C2 · Proficiency Music Technical

v. to choose which fingers to use when playing a musical instrument.

v. to use or mark specific finger positions for the execution of notes on a musical instrument.

“The teacher showed her how to finger the difficult chord on the guitar.”

“The editor had carefully fingered the entire sonata to assist intermediate students with the complex legato passages.”