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touch

touch

138 1.8
A small amount of something that you can notice
  • noun
  • /tʌtʃ/
: toque
  • The painting was beautiful, but it really needed a touch of color to bring it to life.
  • finishing touch
  • add a touch
  • just a touch

And next I'm going to use a tiny, tiny touch of yellow.

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Examples

  • His hair had been dyed black, but it had a touch of gray at the temples.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Maybe she is suffering from a touch of sunstroke; she doesn't feel very good.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • I probably need just a touch more on the nose.

  • You just have a touch of anxiety.

  • His clothes were beautifully tailored, and he had just a touch of an English accent.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Coffee-sipping delegates looked on with what seemed like a touch of wonder and a dash of fear.

    Academic text (2007)
  • On LinkedIn, I keep in touch with clients, former colleagues, and other business-related connections.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Just the softest, softest little touch of that on the cheekbones.

  • She added a touch of elegance to the party with her carefully chosen decorations.

  • The chef's dish had a touch of spice that made it incredibly flavorful.

Synonyms

trace
vstouch
498 3.3

A small sign that something was there

is the general small amount or degree rather than a residue or mark
hint
vstouch
111 1.5

A very small amount of something you can taste, see, or feel

is the direct small amount term rather than a mere suggestion
a touch of
vstouch
75 2.3

A small amount of something added to improve or change it

is the short single word form used in many contexts
speck
vstouch
70 1.3

A very small spot or amount of something

is used for small amounts of qualities rather than physical particles
ghost
vstouch
67 6.1

A faint memory or feeling from the past that affects you

is the simple small amount term without memory or trauma implication
pinch
vstouch
37 1.0

A small amount of a spice held between your fingers

covers small amounts broadly not limited to ones held physically
tinge
vstouch
15 4.4

A small amount of color or feeling in something

focuses on a small amount or degree broadly not only color or feeling
jot
vstouch
5 5.3

A very small amount of something

is a general small amount rather than an extremely tiny bit
mite
vstouch
2 5.1

A very small amount

is the neutral small amount term used in many contexts
soupçon
vstouch
9.9

A very small amount of something, like a tiny taste or hint

is the neutral everyday single word form rather than a foreign term

Antonyms

104 3.3

A large amount of something, more than you need

102 4.1

More than needed or wanted

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

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 Much

smattering
11 7.5
bit
∞ 1.0
touch
138 1.8
hint
111 1.5
trace
498 3.3

Surface Forms

touch singular
touches plural

Etymology

Touch comes from the old French toucher, which suggests a light contact, so a 'a touch of' something means a small amount or a slight trace of that thing.