touch wood Definition

touch
verb touches, touched, touching

1. To bring something, such as a hand, into contact, usually lightly, with something else.

Example: touched the radiator to check that it was on
Thesaurus: contact, feel, stroke, graze, rub, pat, pet, caress, fondle.
tr & intr
2a. To be in physical contact or come into physical contact with, especially lightly;

Example: Make sure the seats don't touch the wallpaper
2b. To bring together in close physical contact.

Example: They touched hands under the table
3a. To injure, harm or hurt

Example: It's not my fault, Mum ― I never touched him!
3b. To interfere with, move, disturb, etc

Example: Who's been touching my things?
3c. To have dealings with, be associated with or be a party to something;

Example: wouldn't touch that kind of job
3d. To make use of, especially as food or drink;

Example: He never touches alcohol
3e. To use (eg money, etc);

Example: I don't touch the money in that account ― it's my holiday money
3f. To approach in excellence; to be as good as; to compare to.

Example: Nobody can touch her at chess
4. To concern or affect; to make a difference to.

Example: It's a matter that touches us all
5. To deal with (a matter, subject, etc), especially in passing or not very thoroughly.

Thesaurus: discuss, treat, go over, mention, refer to, broach, remark on, speak of, allude to.
Form: touch on (usually)
Form: touch upon
6. To affect with pity, sympathy, gratitude, quiet pleasure, etc.

Example: The story of his sad life touched her heart
7. To reach or go as far as, especially temporarily.

Example: The temperature touched 100
8a. To tinge, taint, mark, modify, etc slightly or delicately;

Example: The sky was touched with pink
Example: a love that's touched with sorrow
Form: touch with (usually)
8b. To make a usually slight, sometimes harmful, impression, effect, etc on something.

Example: Frost had touched the early crop
9. To mark, draw or paint with light strokes.

Form: touch in (often)

noun

1. An act of touching or the sensation of being touched.

Thesaurus: contact, rub, stroke, pat, petting, fondling, rubbing, stroking, handling, caress.
2. The sense by which the existence, nature, texture and quality of objects can be perceived through physical contact with the hands, feet, skin, lips, etc.

Thesaurus: feeling, touching, feel, tactility, perception.
3. The particular texture and qualities of an object as perceived through contact with the hands, etc.

Example: the silky touch of the fabric against her skin
4. A small amount, quantity, distance, etc; a trace or hint.

Example: move it left a touch
Thesaurus: trace, bit, suggestion, hint, inkling.
5. A slight attack (eg of an illness).
6. A slight stroke or mark.
7. A detail which adds to or complements the general pleasing effect or appearance.

Example: The flowers were an elegant touch
8. A distinctive or characteristic style or manner.

Example: need the expert's touch
Thesaurus: skill, technique, ability, method, talent, knack.
9. A musician's individual manner or technique of touching or striking the keys of a keyboard instrument or strings of a string instrument to produce a good tone.
10. An artist's or writer's individual style or manner of working.
11. The ability to respond or behave with sensitivity and sympathy.

Example: have a wonderful touch with animals
12. sport.
In rugby, etc: the ground outside the touchlines.
13. slang
An act of asking for and receiving money from someone as a gift or loan.
14. slang
Someone who can be persuaded to give or lend money.
Example: a soft touch
15. A test with, or as if with, a touchstone.

Idiom: get in touch (with)

To make contact or communicate (with).
Example: They got in touch by letter

Idiom: in touch (with)

In contact, communication, etc (with).
Example: We still keep in touch although we haven't seen each other for 20 years

Up to date.
Example: keeps in touch with the latest news

Aware or conscious (of).
Example: in touch with her inner self

Idiom: into touch

Over the touchline.

Idiom: lose one's touch

To become unfamiliar or out of practice.
Example: I haven't played the piano for ages ― I hope I haven't lost my touch

Idiom: lose touch (with)

To be no longer in contact, communication, etc (with).
Example: lost touch with them after they moved house

To be no longer familiar (with) or well-informed (about).
Example: lost touch with what's happening in Bosnia

Idiom: lose touch with reality

To behave in an eccentric, mad, etc way.

Idiom: out of touch (with)

Not in contact, communication, etc (with).
Example: been out of touch with his brother for years
Thesaurus: isolated, cut off, incommunicado.

Not up to date (with).
Example: out of touch with the new technology

Idiom: touch wood

To lay a hand on something wooden, or to make as if to do this, eg by patting one's head, in the superstitious belief that this will ward off bad luck.

An expression that is used when this is done.
Example: Oh! Touch wood! I hope she won't be there

Idiom: would not touch something with a bargepole

See under bargepole.

Etymology: 13c: from French tuchier.

Phrasal Verb: touch down

Said of an aircraft, spacecraft, etc: to land.To carry the ball over the goal-line and put it on the ground at a point that is either behind one's own goal-line as a defensive move or behind that of one's opponents to score a try. See also touchdown.

Phrasal Verb: touch someone for something

To ask them for and receive (money), especially a specified amount, as a loan or gift.
Example: touched him for 50 quid

Phrasal Verb: touch something off

To cause it to explode, eg by putting a match to it.To cause it to begin; to trigger it.
Example: Police brutality touched off the riots

Phrasal Verb: touch on

To verge towards. See also verb 5 above.
Example: That touches on the surreal

Phrasal Verb: touch up

To fondle someone so as to excite them sexually;To sexually molest someone.To improve something by adding small details, correcting or hiding minor faults, etc. See also touch-up.
Example: touched up the painting so it looked as good as new

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wood
noun

1. bot.
The hard tissue beneath the bark, that forms the bulk of woody trees and shrubs. Technical equivalent xylem.
2. This material obtained from trees and used for building timber, fencing and furniture-making, etc.

Thesaurus: lumber, timber, logs, planks.
3. An expanse of growing trees.

Thesaurus: forest, grove, thicket, woodland, copse, trees.
Form: woods (also)
4. Firewood.
5. golf.
A club with a head traditionally made of wood, now usually of metal, used for driving the ball long distances.
6. bowls.
A bowl.
7. Casks or barrels made of wood, for wine or beer.

Example: matured in wood

adj

1. Made of, or using, wood.

verb

wooded, wooding
1. To cover (land, etc) with trees.

Derivative: wooded
adj

(of land) covered with trees
Thesaurus: forested, tree-covered, timbered, sylvan; Antonym: open.

Derivative: wooden

See separate entries.

Idiom: not see the wood for the trees

To fail to grasp the broad issue because of over-attention to details.

Idiom: out of the woods

Free at last of trouble or danger.
Thesaurus: safe, out of danger, free and clear, secure, in the clear.

Idiom: touch wood

See under touch.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon wudu.