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to touch base

to touch base

14 3.5
To make brief contact to give or get an update
  • phrasal verb
  • /tʌtʃ beɪs/
translation icon : ponerse en contacto con
  • I need to touch base with you all.
  • just touch base

Do you want to touch base on how unjust that was?

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Examples

  • Sometimes you may have to touch base with the instructor to find out more information.

    Blog text (21)
  • I just wanted to touch base on a couple of office things.

  • So I just wanted to touch base on those two things.

  • So it's probably only right to touch base on the on the relationship there.

  • But I wanted to touch base finally on this book club because I think the last one was two months ago.

  • You can touch base with him first.

  • Just wanted to touch base, tell you we're all very happy with your work.

  • We make an attempt to touch base with each other daily.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The next day, I called Sue and explained that I wanted just to touch base with her.

    Academic text (2006)
  • I just wanted to touch base with you to discuss the project updates.

Synonyms

to reach
vsto touch base
1.3

Make contact with someone by phone or email

is usually brief and often for a quick update
to connect
vsto touch base
572 1.8

Build a friendly relationship with someone by talking or listening

aims for a short status update rather than building a relationship
to catch up
vsto touch base
  • Informal
166 2.3

To talk with someone to share news after not seeing them for a while

is focused on quick checks rather than longer news exchanges
to get in touch
vsto touch base
155 2.3

Contact someone after not talking for a while

is typically shorter and aims for a quick status check
to make contact
vsto touch base
113 2.8

To get in touch with someone after a time without talking

is used more for brief follow ups than first introductions
to ping
vsto touch base
  • Texting
10 4.1

To send someone a short electronic message to get their attention

is broader, used for quick updates by various methods

Antonyms

620 3.8

To stop something suddenly before it is finished

To stay away from people or things to avoid close contact

How Connected

to reach out
338 2.7
to make contact
113 2.8
to touch base
14 3.5
to check in
202 2.7

Surface Forms

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

Morphology

touch + base

The verb 'touch' (make contact) combined with 'base' (a point or starting place) yields a clear metaphor of making contact at a point, so an informed B1 learner could often infer the sense 'make brief contact/communicate'. However, the usage is a conventionalized, register-specific metaphor (business/baseball origin) rather than a literal composition, so the exact pragmatic nuance is not fully predictable without exposure.

Etymology

Touch base may come from baseball, where a player must quickly touch a base to show they are safe. So the phrase came to mean 'make contact' or 'check in' briefly, and today we use it when we want a short update from someone.