verb
    
    touches; touched; touching
    
    to put your hand, fingers, etc., on someone or something [+ obj]
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    usually used in negative statements
    
    
    
    to be in contact with (something) - used to say that one thing is directly against another thing with no space between; [+ obj]
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    [+ obj] to change or move (something) - usually used in negative statements
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    to harm (someone or something)
    
    
    
    
    
    [+ obj] to deal with or work on (something)
    
    
    
    to become involved with (someone or something)
    
    
    
    
    
    [+ obj] :to use (something) - usually used in negative statements
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    [+ obj] to affect or involve (someone)
    
    
    
    to affect the feelings of (someone) :to cause (someone) to feel an emotion (such as sympathy or gratitude)
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    [+ obj] :to influence (something)
    
    
    
    [+ obj] :to be as good as (someone or something) - usually used in negative statements
    
    
    
    
    
    [+ obj] chiefly Brit :to reach (a particular level or amount)
    
    
    
    [+ obj] baseball :to get a hit off or score a run against (a pitcher) - usually + for
    
    
    
    [+ obj] literary :to appear on (something)
    
    
    
    not touch (someone or something) with a ten-foot pole
    
    US or Brit not touch (someone or something) with a bargepole
    
    informal :to refuse to go near or become involved with (someone or something)
    
    
    
    touch a chord
    
    
    
    touch all the bases
    
    or touch every base
    
    
    
    touch a nerve
    
    
    
    touch base
    
    
    
    touch down
    
    [phrasal verb]
    
    to return to the ground or another surface after a flight :land
    
    
    
    touch (the ball) down or touch down (the ball) rugby :to score by putting (the ball) on the ground behind an opponent's goal line
    
    
    
    touch for
    
    [phrasal verb]
    
    touch (someone) for (something) informal Brit :to persuade (someone) to give or lend you (an amount of money)
    
    
    
    touch off
    
    [phrasal verb]
    
    touch off (something) or touch (something) off :to cause (something) to start suddenly
    
    
    
    
    
    touch on/upon
    
    [phrasal verb]
    
    touch on/upon (something)
    
    to briefly talk or write about (something) :to mention (something) briefly
    
    
    
    
    
    to come close to (something) :to almost be (something)
    
    
    
    touch up
    
    [phrasal verb]
    
    touch up (something) or touch (something) up :to improve (something) by making small changes or additions
    
    
    
    touch (someone) up or touch up (someone) Brit informal :to touch (someone) in a sexual way
    
    
    
    touch wood
    
    
    
    touch your forelock
    
    
    
    noun
    
    plural touches
    
    [count] :the act of touching someone or something - usually singular
    
    
    
    
    
    [noncount] :the ability to be aware of something physical by touching it :the sense that allows you to feel physical things
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    [singular] :the quality of a thing that is experienced by feeling or touching it
    
    
    
    [count] :a small detail that is added to improve or complete something - usually + to
    
    
    
    
    
    [singular] :a quality that can be seen in the way something is done
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    [count] :an act of handling or controlling the ball in a sport (such as basketball, soccer, or American football)
    
    
    
    [noncount] :the area outside of the lines that mark the long edges of the playing area in soccer or rugby
    
    
    
    
    
    a touch
    
    to a small extent :slightly
    
    
    
    
    
    a touch of
    
    a small amount of (something) :a hint or trace of (something)
    
    
    
    
    
    finishing touch
    
    
    
    in touch
    
    in a state in which people communicate with each other especially by calling or writing to each other
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    the state of being aware of what is happening, how a particular group of people feels, etc. - usually + with
    
    
    
    
    
    the state of being aware of a particular part of your character that is not easily noticed - usually + with
    
    
    
    
    
    lose touch
    
    to stop communicating with each other :to no longer know what is happening in each other's lives
    
    
    
    
    
    to stop knowing what is happening, how a particular group of people feels, etc. - usually + with
    
    
    
    
    
    lose your touch
    
    to no longer have the ability to do things that you were able to do successfully in the past
    
    
    
    
    
    out of touch
    
    not communicating with each other
    
    
    
    in a state of not knowing what is happening, how a particular group of people feels, etc.
    
    
    
    usually + with