Touch

n. [ Cf. F. touche. See Touch, v. ] 1. The act of touching, or the state of being touched; contact. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their touch affrights me as a serpent's sting. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Physiol.) The sense by which pressure or traction exerted on the skin is recognized; the sense by which the properties of bodies are determined by contact; the tactile sense. See Tactile sense, under Tactile. [ 1913 Webster ]

The spider's touch, how exquisitely fine. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Pure tactile feelings are necessarily rare, since temperature sensations and muscular sensations are more or less combined with them. The organs of touch are found chiefly in the epidermis of the skin and certain underlying nervous structures. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Act or power of exciting emotion. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not alone
The death of Fulvia, with more urgent touches,
Do strongly speak to us. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. An emotion or affection. [ 1913 Webster ]

A true, natural, and a sensible touch of mercy. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Personal reference or application. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Speech of touch toward others should be sparingly used. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. A stroke; as, a touch of raillery; a satiric touch; hence, animadversion; censure; reproof. [ 1913 Webster ]

I never bare any touch of conscience with greater regret. Eikon Basilike. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. A single stroke on a drawing or a picture. [ 1913 Webster ]

Never give the least touch with your pencil till you have well examined your design. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Feature; lineament; trait. [ 1913 Webster ]

Of many faces, eyes, and hearts,
To have the touches dearest prized. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. The act of the hand on a musical instrument; bence, in the plural, musical notes. [ 1913 Webster ]

Soft stillness and the night
Become the touches of sweet harmony. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. A small quantity intermixed; a little; a dash. [ 1913 Webster ]

Eyes La touch of Sir Peter Lely in them. Hazlitt. [ 1913 Webster ]

Madam, I have a touch of your condition. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

11. A hint; a suggestion; slight notice. [ 1913 Webster ]

A small touch will put him in mind of them. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

12. A slight and brief essay. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Print my preface in such form as, in the booksellers' phrase, will make a sixpenny touch. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

13. A touchstone; hence, stone of the sort used for touchstone. [ Obs. ] “ Now do I play the touch.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

A neat new monument of touch and alabaster. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

14. Hence, examination or trial by some decisive standard; test; proof; tried quality. [ 1913 Webster ]

Equity, the true touch of all laws. Carew. [ 1913 Webster ]

Friends of noble touch . Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

15. (Mus.) The particular or characteristic mode of action, or the resistance of the keys of an instrument to the fingers; as, a heavy touch, or a light touch; also, the manner of touching, striking, or pressing the keys of a piano; as, a legato touch; a staccato touch. [ 1913 Webster ]

16. (Shipbilding) The broadest part of a plank worked top and but (see Top and but, under Top, n.), or of one worked anchor-stock fashion (that is, tapered from the middle to both ends); also, the angles of the stern timbers at the counters. J. Knowles. [ 1913 Webster ]

17. (Football) That part of the field which is beyond the line of flags on either side. Encyc. of Rural Sports. [ 1913 Webster ]

18. A boys' game; tag. [ 1913 Webster ]

19. (Change Ringing) A set of changes less than the total possible on seven bells, that is, less than 5, 040. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

20. An act of borrowing or stealing. [ Slang ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

21. Tallow; -- a plumber's term. [ Eng. ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

In touch (a) (Football), outside of bounds. T. Hughes. (b) in communication; communicating, once or repeatedly. --
To be in touch, (a) to be in contact, communication, or in sympathy. (b) to be aware of current events. --
To keep touch. (a) To be true or punctual to a promise or engagement [ Obs. ]; hence, to fulfill duly a function. [ 1913 Webster ] My mind and senses keep touch and time. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ] (b) To keep in contact; to maintain connection or sympathy; -- with with or of. Also
to keep in touch. --
Touch and go, a phrase descriptive of a narrow escape. --
True as touch (i. e., touchstone), quite true. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To be in contact; to be in a state of junction, so that no space is between; as, two spheres touch only at points. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To fasten; to take effect; to make impression. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Strong waters pierce metals, and will touch upon gold, that will not touch upon silver. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To treat anything in discourse, especially in a slight or casual manner; -- often with on or upon. [ 1913 Webster ]

If the antiquaries have touched upon it, they immediately
quitted it. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Naut) To be brought, as a sail, so close to the wind that its weather leech shakes. [ 1913 Webster ]

To touch and go (Naut.), to touch bottom lightly and without damage, as a vessel in motion. --
To touch at, to come or go to, without tarrying; as, the ship touched at Lisbon. --
To touch on or
To touch upon, (a) to come or go to for a short time. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

I made a little voyage round the lake, and touched on the several towns that lie on its coasts. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

(b) to discuss briefly, as only a small part of a discourse. [ PJC ]

a. Capable of being touched; tangible. -- Touch"a*ble*ness, n. [1913 Webster]

n. (Football) The act of touching the football down by a player behind his own goal line when it received its last impulse from an opponent; -- distinguished from safety touchdown. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A box containing lighted tinder, formerly carried by soldiers who used matchlocks, to kindle the match. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Football) The act of touching the football down behind the opponents' goal; also the score (6 points) resulting from such a play. [ 1913 Webster ]

Safety touchdown. See under Safety. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The vent of a cannon or other firearm, by which fire is communicateed to the powder of the charge. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a touchy manner. [ 1913 Webster ]