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feel

feel

61 5.7
A natural ability to do or understand something
  • noun
  • /fiːl/
translation icon : intuición
  • Sometimes you get a feel for people.
  • get a feel
  • develop a feel
  • rhythmic feel

Examples

  • Children need to get a feel for each phoneme, one at a time.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Domestic chores are an excellent way to give a feel for daily life.

    Academic text (2008)
  • We want more from what gives us positive feelings, whatever that is.

  • I have a feel for it.

  • You have a feel for this.

  • You get a feel for a situation.

  • I think she was trying to get a feel for how the staff would respond to this new potential partnership.

    Academic text (2015)
  • The researcher must develop a strong intuitive feel for what a new improvement might add.

    Academic text (1999)
  • The value of intrinsic feedback (the athlete's own "feel" of the performance) is often underestimated.

    Academic text (1996)
  • As a musician, she has a deep feel for the rhythm and nuances of the music.

Synonyms

feeling
vsfeel
1.0

A natural ability to understand or do something

is a natural awareness shaped by experience rather than a mere impression
sense
vsfeel
3.1

A general feeling about a situation

is a specific intuitive ability from experience rather than a general feeling
intuition
vsfeel
127 5.5

A quick feeling that something is true without thinking

includes natural skill built from experience as well as immediate knowing
nose
vsfeel
98 7.1

A natural skill for finding or noticing things in one area

is general intuitive awareness across situations, not limited to detection skill
1 5.1

A quick sense that something is true without thinking

is a broader learned sense coming from experience as well as instinct

Antonyms

316 3.9

Not knowing about something or how it works

24 4.0

Not having enough skill or knowledge when doing something new

Idioms

To understand when someone is having a hard time and show you care

To notice warmth on your skin from the sun or a fire

To be embarrassed and silly because of something you did

To have no pain because of medicine or alcohol

To act happy and without worry like a child

6 7.1

Be full of energy and very happy

to feel the burn
  • Informal
5 8.0

To have a strong burning feeling in the muscles during hard exercise

To be very healthy, happy, and full of energy

4 8.4

To be very sick and miserable

3 6.1

Receive very special care and small luxuries

2 7.0

To be out of place among the people around you

1 7.9

To feel very tired and weak like an older person

Enjoy very good health and happiness

To seem invisible because other people ignore you

To understand and share someone's sadness when they are having a hard time

to feel like a sap
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To feel silly for believing someone who tricked you

1 9.9

To feel foolish and embarrassed about something you did

1 8.6

To think you were tricked and regret trusting someone

to feel peachy
  • Informal
1 8.4

To be very happy and well

To feel very surprising and wonderful, like something impossible happened

To get special treatment and attention as if you are very important

1 8.8

A sudden sense that people are talking about you, often when your name is said

To be a little sad and tired

to feel like a bum
  • Offensive
8.6

To feel lazy and useless because you failed or did nothing

To seem very powerful and important to yourself

9.9

To feel very ashamed and jealous because your partner cheated on you

to feel like a cur
  • Offensive
9.9

To feel ashamed and cowardly for something you did

To feel out of date compared to new things

9.6

To think you are silly after making a mistake

9.9

Act or seem foolish and unable to do something in a situation

9.9

To feel as if you have no home and very little money

9.9

To feel foolish and embarrassed after a careless mistake

To become full of new energy after being very ill or tired

9.9

To feel foolish after making a mistake

To be very hot and uncomfortable, like melting in the sun

9.9

To be very full and uncomfortable after you eat too much

To feel heavy and uncomfortable after eating too much

People avoid you and treat you like an outcast

To feel very proud and admired, like a famous singer after a great show

8.8

Move or stand in a graceful, beautiful way

To feel foolish or embarrassed because of a mistake

To feel very ashamed and worthless after doing something embarrassing

To think you have eaten too much and now seem too heavy

9.9

To feel foolish and embarrassed because of something you did

To be very tired and weak after hard effort

9.1

To be very ashamed and think you are worthless

9.1

To be guilty and ashamed after treating someone badly

Become very confident about your looks and ready for love

9.9

To feel foolish because of something you did

9.8

You get pushed from one thing to another and have no control

9.1

To be foolish or embarrassed after making a mistake

9.9

To feel ordinary and not as good as other people

Compounds

1 4.6

A look or style that reminds you of an earlier time

A cozy, welcoming feeling that makes a place feel like a real home

How Intuitive

instinct
596 2.8
intuition
127 5.5
feel
61 5.7
hunch
159 4.7

Surface Forms

feel singular
feels plural

Etymology

Feel comes from an old German word meaning 'to touch', related to the German fühlen. This idea of sensing by touch was used for skill too, so a person with a good 'feel' has a natural sense or instinct for something.