- F. toucher, OF. touchiertuchier; of Teutonic origin; cf. OHG. zucchenzukken, to twitch, pluck, draw, G. zukkenzukken, v. intens. fr. OHG. ziohan to draw, G. ziehen, akin to E. tug. See Tuckv. t.Tug, and cf. TocsinToccata
- To come in contact with; to hit or strike lightly against; to extend the hand, foot, or the like, so as to reach or rest on.Him thus intent Ithuriel with his spearTouched lightly.
- To perceive by the sense of feeling.Nothing but body can be touched or touch.
- To come to; to reach; to attain to.The god, vindictive, doomed them never more- Ah, men unblessed! -- to touch their natal shore.
- To try; to prove, as with a touchstone.ObsWherein I mean to touch your love indeed.
- To relate to; to concern; to affect.The quarrel toucheth none but us alone.
- To handle, speak of, or deal with; to treat of.Storial thing that toucheth gentilesse.
- To meddle or interfere with; as, I have not touched the books.
- To affect the senses or the sensibility of; to move; to melt; to soften; especially, to cause feelings of pity, compassion, sympathy, or gratitude in.What of sweet before Hath touched my sense, flat seems to this and harsh.The tender sire was touched with what he said.
- To mark or delineate with touches; to add a slight stroke to with the pencil or brush.The lines, though touched but faintly, are drawn right.
- To infect; to affect slightly.
- To make an impression on; to have effect upon.Its face . . . so hard that a file will not touch it.
- To strike; to manipulate; to play on; as, to touch an instrument of music.Theytouched their golden harps.
- To perform, as a tune; to play.A person is the royal retinue touched a light and lively air on the flageolet.
- To influence by impulse; to impel forcibly.No decree of mine, . . . [totouchwith lightest moment of impulse his free will,
- To harm, afflict, or distress.Let us make a covenant with thee, that thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee.
- To affect with insanity, especially in a slight degree; to make partially insane; -- rarely used except in the past participle.She feared his head was a little touched.
- GeomTo be tangent to. See Tangenta.
- To lay a hand upon for curing disease.
- To compare with; to be equal to; -- usually with a negative; as, he held that for good cheer nothing could touch an open fire.Colloq
- To induce to give or lend; to borrow from; as, to touch one for a loan; hence, to steal from.Slang
