What does "touch" mean?

1. (physical contact) to put your hand or another part of your body on something. 2. (to affect emotionally) to make someone feel a strong emotion, like sadness or gratitude. 3. (to reach a level) to reach a certain point, level, or quality. 4. (the sense of feeling) one of the five senses; the ability to feel things with your skin. 5. (communication) being in contact or communication with someone. 6. (a small amount) a very small amount of something. 7. (skill or style) a special skill or a personal way of doing something. 8. (musical technique) the way a musician hits the keys or strings of an instrument. 9. (request for money) an attempt to get money from someone by asking or tricking them.

touch

v. · n.

US //ˈtətʃ// UK //tˈʌtʃ// touch

1 physical contact (v.)
A1 Beginner

to put your hand or another part of your body on something.

to bring a bodily part or an object into physical contact with another object.

Example

Please do not touch the paintings in the museum.

Example

The wet paint sign was clearly visible, yet he couldn't resist the urge to touch the surface to see if it was still tacky.
- avoid
- miss
2 to affect emotionally (v.)
B1 Intermediate

to make someone feel a strong emotion, like sadness or gratitude.

to elicit a strong emotional response, typically sympathy, gratitude, or compassion.

Example

I was deeply touched by the kind letter you sent me.

Example

The audience was visibly touched by the soloist's performance, which captured the melancholy of the piece with extraordinary sensitivity.

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3 to reach a level (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to reach a certain point, level, or quality.

to reach or attain a specific standard, amount, or level. Often used in negative constructions to mean 'cannot compare to'.

Example

Temperatures touched thirty degrees during the heatwave.

Example

While many brands attempt to replicate this traditional recipe, none can quite touch the quality of the original handmade version.
4 the sense of feeling (n.)
A2 Elementary

one of the five senses; the ability to feel things with your skin.

the tactile sense by which contact with the body is perceived.

Example

The fabric was very soft to the touch.

Example

The nerve damage in his fingertips had significantly dulled his sense of touch, making delicate tasks nearly impossible.
- tactility
- feeling
5 communication (n.)
A2 Elementary

being in contact or communication with someone.

the state of being in communication or having current knowledge about something. Usually in the phrases 'in touch' or 'out of touch'.

Example

Let's keep in touch while you are away at university.

Example

Despite living in different hemispheres for a decade, the two researchers remained in close touch via weekly correspondence.
- contact
- connection
6 a small amount (n.)
B1 Intermediate

a very small amount of something.

a slight amount, trace, or degree of a quality or substance. Often used with 'of'.

Example

The soup needs a touch more salt.

Example

The designer added a touch of gold leaf to the frame, providing just enough shimmer to catch the light without appearing gaudy.
7 skill or style (n.)
B1 Intermediate

a special skill or a personal way of doing something.

a distinctive manner or method of handling something; also refers to a person's level of skill or aptitude.

Example

The garden really shows a professional's touch.

Example

The chef's light touch with delicate seafood ensured that the natural flavours were enhanced rather than overwhelmed by the sauce.
8 musical technique (n.)
C1 Advanced Technical Music

the way a musician hits the keys or strings of an instrument.

the manner or style of striking the keys of a piano or the strings of an instrument to produce a specific tone.

Example

The pianist is famous for her delicate touch.

Example

His heavy-handed touch on the organ was ill-suited to the subtle nuances required for the Baroque repertoire.
- fingering
- execution
9 request for money (n.)
C2 Proficiency Slang Informal

an attempt to get money from someone by asking or tricking them.

an act of soliciting money or a favour, often from an acquaintance. Informal and often carries a slightly negative connotation.

Example

He's always an easy touch for anyone with a sad story.

Example

Knowing his uncle was a soft touch, he prepared a convincing explanation for why he needed an immediate loan.
- solicitation
- request

Origin

From Middle English touchen, tochen, from Old French tochier (“to touch”) (whence Modern French toucher; compare French doublet toquer (“to offend, bother, harass”)), from Vulgar Latin tuccō (“to knock, strike, offend”), from Frankish tukkōn (“to knock, strike, touch”), from Proto-Germanic tukkōną (“to tug, grab, grasp”), from Proto-Indo-European dewk- (“to draw, pull, lead”). Largely displaced native Middle English rinen, from Old English hrīnan (whence Modern English rine). Doublet of tuck. Cognates Cognate with Old High German zochhōn, zuhhōn (“to grasp, take, seize, snatch”) (whence German zucken (“to jerk, flinch”)), German Low German tucken, tocken (“to fidget, twitch, pull up, entice, throb, knock, repeatedly tap”), Middle Dutch tocken, tucken (“to touch, entice”) (whence Dutch tokkelen (“to strum, pluck”)), Old English tucian, tūcian (“to disturb, mistreat”) (whence Modern English tuck). Compare also Old High German tokkōn, tockōn (“to abut, collide”). Outside Germanic, cognate to Albanian cek (“to touch”), Old Church Slavonic тъкнѫти (tŭknǫti). More at tuck, take.

Idioms19 entries