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to touch

to touch

177 4.8
To reach and make physical contact with something
  • verb
  • /tʌtʃ/
: afectar
  • I've ruined everything I've touched in this family.
  • touch on issues
  • touch every aspect

They don't really touch DARPA, They certainly don't touch NSF, they don't touch NIH.

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Examples

  • And I think everything you touch turns to gold.

  • You want to reach out and touch pure evil.

  • I've been meaning to touch base with you.

  • You can look into that world, but you don't have to touch it.

    Academic text (2009)
  • We touch down in Tokyo at 0600.

  • Nothing can touch us.

  • I don't think anyone can touch his talent when it comes to playing the piano.

  • The athlete trained hard but still couldn't touch his previous record.

  • Before we finalize the deal, I wanted to touch base with you about the terms.

Synonyms

to match
vsto touch
∞ 1.0

To be the same color or style as something else

also means going as far or becoming involved, not only similarity
to reach
vsto touch
∞ 1.0

Stretch out to touch or get something that is far

goes as far as a limit or boundary rather than only contact
to equal
vsto touch
226 1.0

To make something the same in value or amount as another

is broader here, allowing matching or reaching rather than strict sameness
to extend to
vsto touch
123 3.4

Reach up to a certain point or limit

covers going to a limit but also includes matching and involvement
to rival
vsto touch
50 3.4

To compete with someone or be as good as them

means matching in quality without the competition element
to touch on
vsto touch
21 4.0

To affect something or someone, often slightly

is stronger, implying full involvement, matching, or reaching a limit

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

23 3.9

To take something off from what it is connected to

Idioms

92 4.9

Not aware of recent events or people's feelings

75 2.3

A small amount of something added to improve or change it

26 3.0

A small extra detail that makes something look or feel better

to touch a nerve
  • Informal
11 7.7

Make someone feel upset or defensive by mentioning a sensitive subject

No longer have the skill you once had to do something well

Midas touch
  • Informal
5 8.1

A special ability to make money or do well in many things

Make someone feel strong emotion or sympathy

to touch a chord
  • Informal
2 5.8

To make a person feel a strong emotion

2 6.1

A natural ability to do something well

1 9.3

To tell viewers or listeners to keep watching and not change the channel during a break in the show

1 8.3

You say it to try to stop bad luck after saying something good

1 9.1

Tell someone not to change the radio or television channel before a show returns

Ask an important person for help or a blessing

To become less good at something you used to do well

Refuse to be involved with people or things that seem dangerous and dishonest

A rude slang way to say someone shows small signs of autism and may offend people

Phrasal Verbs

194 2.3

Contact someone after not talking for a while

Continue to talk or write to someone after you move away

77 3.4

To mention something briefly without giving details

49 3.6

To land on the ground after a flight

26 3.8

Make small changes to something to improve how it looks

21 4.0

To affect something or someone, often slightly

18 3.5

To make brief contact to give or get an update

16 7.4

Make an event or strong reaction start suddenly

to touch oneself
  • Offensive
1 9.8

To touch your own private parts for sexual pleasure

1 9.9

To touch your own sexual parts to feel pleasure at night

To put a plan aside and often leave it without action

8.4

To take a break from online life and spend time outside in nature

Compounds

A last small detail that makes something look or feel complete

27 2.7

A screen you touch to control a phone or tablet

touch-and-go
  • Informal
20 7.2

A situation that is dangerous or uncertain until the last moment

13 3.9

A small repair to make something look better

11 3.9

A gentle, brief contact made with little force

9 3.2

A version of American football where players touch the player with the ball to stop them instead of tackling

9 3.7

A gentle way of touching or handling people and objects

A small amount of care that makes something special

The ability to feel things through the skin

A small extra detail that makes something feel nicer

3 4.6

A way of connecting with ordinary people that makes them feel understood

golden touch
  • Informal
2 5.2

A skill for making projects succeed easily

bad touch
  • Offensive
2 9.0

Unwanted physical contact that makes someone feel scared or uncomfortable

1 3.6

A way to use all fingers on a keyboard without looking at it

two touch
  • Jargon
1 6.2

A football exercise where each player may touch the ball only twice before passing

1 4.1

Used for small repairs that make something look better

1 4.6

A form of football where another player stops someone by touching them with both hands

1 5.4

A person who uses a keyboard without looking at the keys

touch-me-not
  • Specialized
1 8.6

A plant with seed pods that burst when you touch them and release seeds

soft touch
  • Offensive
1 7.0

A person who easily agrees and can be taken advantage of

A small detail that makes something look beautiful and special

touch sensation
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A feeling on the skin when something presses or rests on it

1 9.8

A tendency to make everything a person touches fail

touch perception
  • Specialized
1 4.5

Ability to feel pressure, heat, or pain on the skin

1 3.7

To type by pressing keys without looking, using trained finger positions

A small detail that makes something look brighter and happier

game of two touch
  • Australian
8.4

Touch football where another player touches someone twice to tackle them

touch modality
  • Specialized
7.0

The sense that lets you feel objects through physical contact

touch-me-not
  • Specialized
9.5

A plant with leaves that fold together when you touch them

5.5

A practice where soccer players control and pass the ball using two touches

How Close

to match
∞ 1.0
to touch
177 4.8
to reach
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

touch infinitive
touched past
touched past participle
touching present participle
touches third person singular

Etymology

Touch comes from the old French toucher, which meant to come into contact, so to touch something can also mean to reach or meet it, as when one thing just touches another.