light touch
- noun
- /laɪt tʌtʃ/
- You know, a light touch is one thing, but no touch at all?
It harbors neurons, nerve cells that allow us to detect things like light touch or temperature or pressure of various kinds.
- It harbors neurons, nerve cells that allow us to detect things like light touch or temperature or pressure of various kinds.
- You have neurons in your skin that perceive particular kinds of touch like light touch or firm touch or painful touch.
- If the problem was on the backside of the cord, it would cause a a problem potentially with a light touch sensation in the legs.
- Some women prefer light touch, some women prefer more firm touch, some women perform for vibration.
- But this is really gives a really soft light touch to the skin.
Examples
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He's got a light touch and a sweetness that's rare.
Blog text (9) -
You have such a light touch.
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So we're going to use a real light touch with this.
-
The back door opens with the first light touch of your fingers.
Fiction book (1996) -
She noted that it requires only a light touch and works well.
Academic text (2004) -
Her light touch and subtle humor drew smiles and laughter from the crowd.
Fiction book (1995) -
Currently, the FMA has taken a "light touch" approach toward cryptocurrency regulation.
Academic text (2018) -
Things will change naturally and for the better if we use a light touch and don't do a lot of government regulations because they always mess things up.
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For best results, the wand must be wielded with a light touch, and it must be directed toward the area of dissection at all times to avoid damage to the muscle bed.
Academic text (2004) -
Park was about to go over to her when he felt a light touch on his arm.
Synonyms
To touch or hit something lightly to get attention
A short contact with something dangerous or harmful
A light touch or knock to get someone's attention
A gentle touch or caress with the hand
A light quick touch with your hand or a cloth
A gentle way of touching or handling people and objects
A soft light touch to comfort a person or animal
How Gentle
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a gentle or brief physical contact' is directly and compositionally derived from combining 'light' (slight/gentle) with 'touch' (contact), so a learner who knows both words can infer the phrase. This follows a common adjective+noun pattern found across languages, making it immediately comprehensible to a B1-level learner.
Etymology
The noun light touch comes from the simple image of a very gentle contact: light means 'not heavy' and touch means 'to make contact'. That's why 'light touch' now means a gentle or brief physical contact.