FINGER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does finger mean? 

• FINGER (noun)
  The noun FINGER has 3 senses:

1. any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)

2. the length of breadth of a finger used as a linear measure

3. one of the parts of a glove that provides covering for a finger or thumb

  Familiarity information: FINGER used as a noun is uncommon.

• FINGER (verb)
  The verb FINGER has 4 senses:

1. feel or handle with the fingers

2. examine by touch

3. search for on the computer

4. indicate the fingering for the playing of musical scores for keyboard instruments

  Familiarity information: FINGER used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FINGER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Context example:

her fingers were long and thin

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

dactyl; digit (a finger or toe in human beings or corresponding body part in other vertebrates)

extremity (that part of a limb that is farthest from the torso)

Meronyms (parts of "finger"):

fingertip (the end (tip) of a finger)

pad (the fleshy cushion-like underside of an animal's foot or of a human's finger)

fingernail (the nail at the end of a finger)

knuckle; knuckle joint; metacarpophalangeal joint (a joint of a finger when the fist is closed)

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

pollex; thumb (the thick short innermost digit of the forelimb)

forefinger; index; index finger (the finger next to the thumb)

annualry; ring finger (the third finger (especially of the left hand))

middle finger (the second finger; between the index finger and the ring finger)

little finger; pinkie; pinky (the finger farthest from the thumb)

Holonyms ("finger" is a part of...):

hand; manus; mitt; paw (the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb)

Derivation:

finger (indicate the fingering for the playing of musical scores for keyboard instruments)

finger (examine by touch)

finger (feel or handle with the fingers)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The length of breadth of a finger used as a linear measure

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

digit; finger; finger's breadth; fingerbreadth

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

linear measure; linear unit (a unit of measurement of length)

Sense 3

Meaning:

One of the parts of a glove that provides covering for a finger or thumb

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

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

covering (an artifact that covers something else (usually to protect or shelter or conceal it))

Holonyms ("finger" is a part of...):

glove (handwear: covers the hand and wrist)

• FINGER (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they finger    ... he / she / it fingers   
Past simple: fingered   
Past participle: fingered   
-ing form: fingering   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Feel or handle with the fingers

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

finger; thumb

Context example:

finger the binding of the book

Hypernyms (to "finger" is one way to...):

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

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

finger (any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb))

fingering (touching something with the fingers)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Examine by touch

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

feel; finger

Context example:

The customer fingered the sweater

"Finger" entails doing...:

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

Verb group:

feel (grope or feel in search of something)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

finger (any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb))

fingering (touching something with the fingers)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Search for on the computer

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

I fingered my boss and found that he is not logged on in the afternoons

Hypernyms (to "finger" is one way to...):

look for; search; seek (try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 4

Meaning:

Indicate the fingering for the playing of musical scores for keyboard instruments

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "finger" is one way to...):

designate; indicate; point; show (indicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figuratively)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

finger (any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb))

fingering (the placement of the fingers for playing different notes (or sequences of notes) on a musical instrument)

 Context examples 

I tried to withdraw it, but his fingers tightened, without visible effort, till I thought mine would be crushed.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

And when he awoke he found himself alone, and saw that the ring was gone from his finger.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Mr. Morris, who had sunk to the ground, leaned on his elbow, holding his hand pressed to his side; the blood still gushed through his fingers.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The other gene family, zinc-finger transcription factors, play a role in nervous system function and development.

(First-ever octopus genome sequenced, NSF)

For this, patients sat in front of a screen and were asked to learn pairs of words, such as “finger” and “needle.”

(Our brains may ripple before remembering, National Institutes of Health)

She had blistering rashes on her fingers, toes, ears, nose, and cheeks, and she’d lost parts of her fingers to the disease.

(Gene linked to rare inflammatory disease in children, NIH)

Children of obese mothers were more likely to fail tests of fine motor skill — the ability to control movement of small muscles, such as those in the fingers and hands.

(Parental obesity linked to delays in child development, National Institutes of Health)

Originally identified in the TFIIIA transcription factor, it is also known as the C2H2 zinc finger.

(C2H2 Zinc Finger, NCI Thesaurus)

Zinc finger domains are thought to be involved in DNA-binding.

(C3H1 Zinc Finger, NCI Thesaurus)

““Unless he brings me back a lady,”” said Mr. Peggotty, tracing out that part with his finger.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)