TOUCHING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does touching mean? 

• TOUCHING (noun)
  The noun TOUCHING has 2 senses:

1. the event of something coming in contact with the body

2. the act of putting two things together with no space between them

  Familiarity information: TOUCHING used as a noun is rare.

• TOUCHING (adjective)
  The adjective TOUCHING has 1 sense:

1. arousing affect

  Familiarity information: TOUCHING used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TOUCHING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The event of something coming in contact with the body

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

touch; touching

Context example:

the cooling touch of the night air

Hypernyms ("touching" is a kind of...):

contact; impinging; striking (the physical coming together of two or more things)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "touching"):

brush; light touch (momentary contact)

stroke (a light touch)

Derivation:

touch (perceive via the tactile sense)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of putting two things together with no space between them

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

touch; touching

Context example:

at his touch the room filled with lights

Hypernyms ("touching" is a kind of...):

act; deed; human action; human activity (something that people do or cause to happen)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "touching"):

dab; pat; tap (a light touch or stroke)

grazing; shaving; skimming (the act of brushing against while passing)

lap; lick (touching with the tongue)

tag ((sports) the act of touching a player in a game (which changes their status in the game))

stroke; stroking (a light touch with the hands)

tickle; tickling; titillation (the act of tickling)

palpation; tactual exploration (a method of examination in which the examiner feels the size or shape or firmness or location of something (of body parts when the examiner is a health professional))

grope (the act of groping; and instance of groping)

fingering (touching something with the fingers)

handling; manipulation (the action of touching with the hands (or the skillful use of the hands) or by the use of mechanical means)

catch; grab; snap; snatch (the act of catching an object with the hands)

buss; kiss; osculation (the act of caressing with the lips (or an instance thereof))

kiss (a light glancing touch)

dig; jab (the act of touching someone suddenly with your finger or elbow)

hit; hitting; striking (the act of contacting one thing with another)

contact; physical contact (the act of touching physically)

Derivation:

touch (make physical contact with, come in contact with)

• TOUCHING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Arousing affect

Synonyms:

affecting; poignant; touching

Context example:

his gratitude was simple and touching

Similar:

moving (arousing or capable of arousing deep emotion)

 Context examples 

The Professor found that so touching that he would have been glad of his handkerchief, if he could have got at it.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

You can get infected by touching, eating, drinking or breathing something that contains a germ.

(Infectious Diseases, NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

Would you mind touching the bell?

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Breathing air, drinking water, eating food, or swallowing or touching dirt that contains lead can cause many health problems.

(Lead Poisoning, Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry)

“And now, touching Mr. Micawber,” said my aunt.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

And touching Miss Bates, who at that moment passed near—“Miss Bates, are you mad, to let your niece sing herself hoarse in this manner?

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

A stone falling from the window would fall a thousand feet without touching anything!

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

“Prophetic,” said the doctor, touching this picture with his finger.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

If you are married, then your mate may have delighted you with a surprise that you found touching.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Touching the moneys, there is enough and to spare until we reach Montaubon.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)