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Glite Dictionary
to feel up

to feel up

1 8.9
Touch something with your hand to check how good it is
  • phrasal verb
  • /fiːl ʌp/
translation icon : palpar

Examples

  • You know, if you feel up to it, maybe later you should go to Lucy.

    iBoy (2017)

  • The mechanic will feel up the engine to check for any leaks or issues.

  • Before buying the fruit, she decided to feel up each piece to ensure they were ripe.

  • He gently felt up the fabric to determine its softness and quality.

Synonyms

to feel
vsto feel up
∞ 2.3

To use your hands to find something when you cannot see it

is mainly a deliberate hand check aimed at judging quality or condition
to inspect
vsto feel up
202 2.5

To look at something carefully to check if it works or is safe

is done by hand mainly to assess quality or condition
to feel around
vsto feel up
7 3.5

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

is a deliberate hand examination to judge quality or condition rather than searching
to palpate
vsto feel up
  • Specialized
3 8.8

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

is the general hand examination for quality or condition outside medical use

Antonyms

to ignore
∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

to neglect
256 3.8

Fail to care for someone or something you should look after

How Thorough

to probe
23 4.6
to feel up
1 8.9
to feel
∞ 2.3
to touch
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

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

Morphology

feel + up

The verb 'feel' clearly means to touch, and 'up' often functions as a directional/completive particle in English phrasal verbs, so the sense 'touch thoroughly/examine by hand' is partly derivable from the parts. However, the particle's contribution can vary and the phrase also has a distinct idiomatic (sexual groping) sense, so the exact interpretation is not fully predictable to a B1 learner without exposure.

Etymology

The phrasal verb feel up comes from the simple image of using your hands to feel an object by moving them up and over its surface to check its condition. That's why it means 'to touch or examine something by hand'.