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to feel

to feel

100 2.3
To use your hands to find something when you cannot see it
  • verb
  • /fiːl/
: palpar
  • They're they're small and you'll feel it through your hands.
  • feel my way

They're they're small and you'll feel it through your hands.

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Examples

  • During the pause, try to feel the pelvic floor.

  • Do you, um... do you feel anything in your body?

  • Can you feel the difference?

  • I can feel the difference.

  • And because it's so thin, you can really feel your way around the face.

  • And he kept these animals and felt them, explored them.

  • I loved walking through the camp, feeling the trees, savoring the quietness.

    Academic text (2012)
  • When I stuck out a gingerly hand, I could feel the tufts of padding spring out.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • As I wandered through the dark room, I had to feel the walls to find the door.

  • When it's too dark to see, you can feel your way to the light switch.

Synonyms

to finger
vsto feel
42 2.8

To touch something with your fingers in a careful or curious way

is about searching or exploring by touch, often when vision is limited
to grope
vsto feel
32 6.3

To feel for something with your hands when you cannot see

is used more widely for finding and for careful examination by touch
to grope for
vsto feel
12 7.1

To feel with your hands to find something in the dark

also refers to general touching or exploring by hand, not only locating
to scrabble
vsto feel
8 6.5

To feel around with your hands to find something

is the neutral general term lacking the awkward or rushed manner
to feel around
vsto feel
8 3.5

Touch things with your hands to find something, often when it is dark

is the general single word term for searching or examining by hand
to palpate
vsto feel
  • Specialized
3 8.8

To feel a part of the body with your hands to check for a problem

is broader and covers searching or exploring objects beyond medical checks

Antonyms

205 2.9

To not notice someone or something you should see

Idioms

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

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

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

To have no pain because of medicine or alcohol

To be embarrassed and silly because of something you did

To act happy and without worry like a child

to feel the burn
  • Informal
8 8.0

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

6 7.1

Be full of energy and very happy

5 8.4

To be very sick and miserable

To be very healthy, happy, and full of energy

3 6.1

Receive very special care and small luxuries

2 7.0

To be out of place among the people around you

Enjoy very good health and happiness

to feel peachy
  • Informal
1 8.4

To be very happy and well

1 9.9

To feel foolish and embarrassed about something you did

1 9.9

Have strong excitement and support for Bernie Sanders, his ideas or campaign

To seem invisible because other people ignore you

People avoid you and treat you like an outcast

1 8.6

To think you were tricked and regret trusting someone

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

To feel very surprising and wonderful, like something impossible happened

1 7.9

To be alone even when other people are near

to feel like a sap
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To feel silly for believing someone who tricked you

1 8.8

Move or stand in a graceful, beautiful way

1 7.9

To feel very tired and weak like an older person

1 8.1

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

1 9.1

To be guilty and ashamed after treating someone badly

1 9.1

To be very ashamed and think you are worthless

to feel like a bum
  • Offensive
1 8.6

To feel lazy and useless because you failed or did nothing

1 9.9

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

To feel out of date compared to new things

1 8.9

To feel very lazy and not want to do anything

Scold someone about their bad behavior

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

To be very tired and weak after hard effort

To be a little sad and tired

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

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 foolish and embarrassed after a careless mistake

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

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

Become very confident about your looks and ready for love

9.9

To feel foolish because of something you did

Phrasal Verbs

∞ 1.0

Be less sick, sad or tired than before

572 3.0

To want to do or have something

Help someone feel happier when they are sad or sick

260 2.4

You can do something without asking for permission or worrying

238 3.0

Have sympathy for someone who is suffering

238 2.8

Seem correct or suitable in a situation

210 7.5

To be excited and enjoy taking part in an activity

To be sorry about an action you did or failed to do

142 2.8

Be sorry for someone who is unhappy or for something you did wrong

To be physically or emotionally uneasy

Be comfortable and relaxed as if in your own home

To seem comfortable and welcome, like in your own home

39 3.6

To be confused and unsure about what to do

Be uncomfortable or embarrassed when you are with other people

23 3.0

Be sad or unhappy

17 5.3

Try to find out someone's opinion or plans without asking directly

To feel confident and able to make choices and act

to feel blue
  • Informal
16 6.5

To be sad for a short time

Have strong worry and tension when under a lot of pressure from work or exams

to feel off
  • Informal
12 6.3

To be slightly unwell in your body or mind

to feel lousy
  • Informal
12 6.9

To be sick, weak, or unhappy

To be afraid because you think you are not safe

to not feel it
  • Informal
10 8.3

To not be interested or excited about something

Touch things with your hands to find something, often when it is dark

To start feeling tired and wanting to close your eyes

to feel dumb
  • Informal
6 6.0

Be embarrassed and think you are foolish after making a mistake

to cop a feel
  • Offensive
5 9.9

To touch someone in a sexual way without their permission

To be sick or slightly ill

To have an uncomfortable feeling on the skin that makes you want to scratch

To have a deep sadness and no meaning inside you

1 8.9

Touch something with your hand to check how good it is

To be nervous and unable to sit still because of worry or excitement

To move slowly and carefully, using touch or trying things step by step

To seem a little boring and not exciting

9.9

To be a little sick in the stomach

9.5

To have low blood sugar and feel shaky, sweat, or become confused

9.9

Have a sick feeling in the stomach and want to throw up

to feel hot shit
  • Offensive
9.9

Think you are very important and act better than others

to feel jelak
  • Philippine
9.9

Become tired and annoyed after too much of something

to feel jit
  • Philippine
9.9

To feel nervous and worried before something happens

9.9

To be very tired and have no energy

to feel poxy
  • Slang
9.9

To be a little sick, often after eating bad food

to feel sus
  • Slang
9.9

To seem suspicious or not trustworthy to other people

to feel ouchy
  • Baby Talk
9.9

To have a small sore feeling in a part of the body

Be a little drunk or dizzy after drinking alcohol

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 Thorough

to explore
562 2.3
to probe
44 4.6
to feel
100 2.3
to grope
32 6.3

Surface Forms

feel infinitive
feeling present participle
feels third person singular
felt past
felt past participle

Etymology

Feel comes from an old German word meaning 'to touch', related to German fühlen. Because it originally meant touching, it still means to search or find something by touching with your hands, as when you 'feel around' in the dark.