to finger
- verb
- /ˈfɪŋɡər/
- Jefferson self-consciously fingered the red ribbon of the medal hanging around his neck.
Examples
-
Zach surveyed the cardboard carton, fingered the metal banding around the top.
Fiction book (1991) -
"And there's something else," Wendy added, fingering the pin at her throat.
Fiction book (1991) -
Frowning, he reached out to finger the tabletop, but pulled his hand back.
Fiction book (1991) -
One slim hand reached up to finger the curious necklace as Larissa considered Willen's actions.
Fiction book (1992) -
When I looked around, she was fingering her amber beads as though she found comfort in touching them.
Fiction book (1990) -
"Word to the wise," he said, as he nervously fingered the ends of his mustache.
Fiction book (1992) -
The Patriarch reached out to the wall beside him, fingered the edge of a rotting tapestry.
Fiction book (1991) -
She gently fingered the pages of the old book, tracing the faded words.
-
He fingered the necklace thoughtfully, trying to remember where he had seen it before.
-
While waiting, I fingered the fabric of the dress, admiring its texture.
Synonyms
To use your hands to find something when you cannot see it
Touch or hold something with your hands, often carefully
To touch or hit something lightly to get attention
To touch something lightly while passing by
Pull at something with your fingers again and again, often nervously
To move or touch something using the short, thick finger at the side of the hand
To pull lightly and repeatedly at something with your fingers
Antonyms
Idioms
- Informal
Having a very strong taste that makes you want to eat every last bit
Phrasal Verbs
Compounds
The finger between the middle finger and little finger where people often wear wedding rings
- Offensive
A rude hand sign made by raising the finger in the middle to insult someone
A pair of small metal discs worn on the fingers and tapped to make a bright ring used in dance
- Jargon
A basketball shot made near the basket by rolling the ball off the fingertips
- Specialized
A hole on a wind instrument like a flute covered or uncovered by your finger to change the note
- Archaic
A tall plant with large pink-purple tube flowers whose leaves are poisonous but make heart medicine
- Specialized
A way to identify a person by using a machine that reads the patterns on their fingertip
A simple practice using all five fingers to improve their speed and control
A vegetable plant that makes long green pods used in soups and stews, also called okra
How Gentle
Surface Forms
Etymology
Finger meaning 'to touch' comes from the noun and originally meant to handle something with your fingers, which is why it still means to touch or feel something by hand.