different between touch vs impress
touch
English
Etymology
From Middle English touchen, tochen, from Old French tochier (“to touch”) (whence Modern French toucher; compare French doublet toquer (“to offend, bother, harass”)), from Vulgar Latin *tucc? (“to knock, strike, offend”), from Frankish *tukk?n (“to knock, strike, touch”), from Proto-Germanic *tukk?n? (“to tug, grab, grasp”), from Proto-Indo-European *dewk- (“to draw, pull, lead”). Displaced native Middle English rinen, from Old English hr?nan (“to touch, reach, strike”)" (whence Modern English rine); Middle English repen, from Old English hrepian.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /t?t??/, enPR: tûch
- Rhymes: -?t?
Verb
touch (third-person singular simple present touches, present participle touching, simple past and past participle touched)
- Primarily physical senses.
- (transitive) To make physical contact with; to bring the hand, finger or other part of the body into contact with. [from 14th c.]
- (transitive) To come into (involuntary) contact with; to meet or intersect. [from 14th c.]
- (intransitive) To come into physical contact, or to be in physical contact. [from 14th c.]
- (intransitive) To make physical contact with a thing. [from 14th c.]
- (transitive) To physically disturb; to interfere with, molest, or attempt to harm through contact. [from 14th c.]
- Let us make a covenant with thee, that thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee.
- (transitive) To cause to be briefly in contact with something.
- He quickly touched his knee to the worn marble.
- The demonstrator nearly touched the rod on the ball.
- She touched her lips to the glass.
- (transitive) To physically affect in specific ways implied by context. [from 15th c.]
- (transitive) To consume, or otherwise use. [from 15th c.]
- (intransitive) Of a ship or its passengers: to land, to make a short stop (at). [from 16th c.]
- 1851, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick:
- Now a certain grand merchant ship once touched at Rokovoko, and its commander — from all accounts, a very stately punctilious gentleman, at least for a sea captain — this commander was invited to the wedding feast of Queequeg's sister, a pretty young princess just turned of ten.
- 1851, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick:
- (transitive, now historical) To lay hands on (someone suffering from scrofula) as a form of cure, as formerly practised by English and French monarchs. [from 17th c.]
- 1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society (2012), page 189:
- But in fact the English kings of the seventeenth century usually began to touch form the day of their accession, without waiting for any such consecration.
- 1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society (2012), page 189:
- (transitive or reflexive) To sexually excite with the fingers; to finger or masturbate. [from 20th c.]
- (intransitive, obsolete) To fasten; to take effect; to make impression.
- (nautical) To bring (a sail) so close to the wind that its weather leech shakes.
- (intransitive, nautical) To be brought, as a sail, so close to the wind that its weather leech shakes.
- (nautical) To keep the ship as near (the wind) as possible.
- (transitive) To make physical contact with; to bring the hand, finger or other part of the body into contact with. [from 14th c.]
- Primarily non-physical senses.
- (transitive) To imbue or endow with a specific quality. [from 14th c.]
- (transitive, archaic) To deal with in speech or writing; to mention briefly, to allude to. [from 14th c.]
- , I.2.4.vii:
- Next to sorrow still I may annex such accidents as procure fear; for besides those terrors which I have before touched, […] there is a superstitious fear […] which much trouble many of us.
- , I.2.4.vii:
- (intransitive) To deal with in speech or writing; briefly to speak or write (on or upon something). [from 14th c.]
- 1886, Robert Louis Stevenson, Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde
- "Well, but since we have touched upon this business, and for the last time I hope," continued the doctor, "there is one point I should like you to understand."
- 1886, Robert Louis Stevenson, Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde
- (transitive) To concern, to have to do with. [14th-19th c.]
- 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Acts V:
- Men of Israhell take hede to youreselves what ye entende to do as touchinge these men.
- 1919, Saki, ‘The Penance’, The Toys of Peace, Penguin 2000 (Complete Short Stories), page 423:
- And now it seemed he was engaged in something which touched them closely, but must be hidden from their knowledge.
- 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Acts V:
- (transitive) To affect emotionally; to bring about tender or painful feelings in. [from 14th c.]
- 1603, William Shakespeare, Othello, Act IV, sc. 1:
- If you are so fond over her iniquity, give her patent
- to offend, for if it touch not you, it comes near
- nobody.
- 1603, William Shakespeare, Othello, Act IV, sc. 1:
- (transitive, dated) To affect in a negative way, especially only slightly. [from 16th c.]
- (transitive, Scottish history) To give royal assent to by touching it with the sceptre. [from 17th c.]
- (transitive, slang) To obtain money from, usually by borrowing (from a friend). [from 18th c.]
- (transitive, always passive) To disturb the mental functions of; to make somewhat insane; often followed with "in the head". [from 18th c.]
- (transitive, in negative constructions) To be on the level of; to approach in excellence or quality. [from 19th c.]
- 1928, Dorothy L. Sayers, "The Abominable History of the Man with Copper Fingers", in Lord Peter Views the Body,
- There was his mistress, Maria Morano. I don't think I've ever seen anything to touch her, and when you work for the screen [as I do] you're apt to have a pretty exacting standard of female beauty.
- 1928, Dorothy L. Sayers, "The Abominable History of the Man with Copper Fingers", in Lord Peter Views the Body,
- (transitive) To come close to; to approach.
- 2012, July 15. Richard Williams in Guardian Unlimited, Tour de France 2012: Carpet tacks cannot force Bradley Wiggins off track
- On Sunday afternoon it was as dark as night, with barely room for two riders abreast on a gradient that touches 20%.
- 2012, July 15. Richard Williams in Guardian Unlimited, Tour de France 2012: Carpet tacks cannot force Bradley Wiggins off track
- (transitive, computing) To mark (a file or document) as having been modified.
- (transitive) To imbue or endow with a specific quality. [from 14th c.]
- To try; to prove, as with a touchstone.
- To mark or delineate with touches; to add a slight stroke to with the pencil or brush.
- (obsolete) To infect; to affect slightly.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Francis Bacon to this entry?)
- To strike; to manipulate; to play on.
- To perform, as a tune; to play.
- To influence by impulse; to impel forcibly.
Derived terms
Translations
Noun
touch (countable and uncountable, plural touches)
- An act of touching, especially with the hand or finger.
- Suddenly, in the crowd, I felt a touch at my shoulder.
- The faculty or sense of perception by physical contact.
- With the lights out, she had to rely on touch to find her desk.
- The style or technique with which one plays a musical instrument.
- He performed one of Ravel's piano concertos with a wonderfully light and playful touch.
- (music) The particular or characteristic mode of action, or the resistance of the keys of an instrument to the fingers.
- a heavy touch, or a light touch
- A distinguishing feature or characteristic.
- Clever touches like this are what make her such a brilliant writer.
- A little bit; a small amount.
- Move it left just a touch and it will be perfect.
- The part of a sports field beyond the touchlines or goal-lines.
- He got the ball, and kicked it straight out into touch.
- A relationship of close communication or understanding.
- He promised to keep in touch while he was away.
- The ability to perform a task well; aptitude.
- I used to be a great chess player but I've lost my touch.
- (obsolete) Act or power of exciting emotion.
- (obsolete) An emotion or affection.
- 1594, Richard Hooker, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie
- a true, natural, and a sensible touch of mercy
- 1594, Richard Hooker, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie
- (obsolete) Personal reference or application.
- 1625, Francis Bacon, Of Discourse
- Speech of touch toward others should be sparingly used.
- 1625, Francis Bacon, Of Discourse
- A single stroke on a drawing or a picture.
- 1695, John Dryden, The Art of Painting
- Never give the least touch with your pencil till you have well examined your design.
- 1695, John Dryden, The Art of Painting
- (obsolete) A brief essay.
- 1713, Jonathan Swift, A Preface to Bishop Burnet's Introduction
- Print my preface in such form as, in the booksellers' phrase, will make a sixpenny touch.
- 1713, Jonathan Swift, A Preface to Bishop Burnet's Introduction
- (obsolete) A touchstone; hence, stone of the sort used for touchstone.
- a neat new monument of touch and alabaster
- (obsolete) Examination or trial by some decisive standard; test; proof; tried quality.
- 1602, Richard Carew, Survey of Cornwall
- equity, the true touch of all laws
- 1602, Richard Carew, Survey of Cornwall
- (shipbuilding) The broadest part of a plank worked top and but, or of one worked anchor-stock fashion (that is, tapered from the middle to both ends); also, the angles of the stern timbers at the counters.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of J. Knowles to this entry?)
- The children's game of tag.
- (bell-ringing) A set of changes less than the total possible on seven bells, i.e. less than 5,040.
- (slang) An act of borrowing or stealing something.
- (Britain, plumbing, dated) Tallow.
- Form; standard of performance.
- 2019 In the mix: Who's pushing for selection for round seven? Australian Football League, 30 April 2019. Accessed 6 May 2019.
- Jackson Hately, Isaac Cumming and Nick Shipley have been in great touch in the NEAFL.
- 2019 In the mix: Who's pushing for selection for round seven? Australian Football League, 30 April 2019. Accessed 6 May 2019.
- (Australian rules football) A disposal of the ball during a game, i.e. a kick or a handball.
- 2019 In the mix: Who's pushing for selection for round seven? Australian Football League, 30 April 2019. Accessed 6 May 2019.
- With just six touches, small forward Daniel Rioli was uncharacteristically quiet against Melbourne, although he did lay five tackles.
- 2019 In the mix: Who's pushing for selection for round seven? Australian Football League, 30 April 2019. Accessed 6 May 2019.
Derived terms
Translations
References
- touch at OneLook Dictionary Search
Anagrams
- chout, couth
Spanish
Adjective
touch (invariable)
- touch; touch-screen
touch From the web:
- what touche means
- what touches the east china sea
- what touch base means
- what touches the pacific ocean
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impress
English
Etymology
From Middle English impressen, from Latin impressus, perfect passive participle of imprimere (“to press into or upon, stick, stamp, or dig into”), from in (“in, upon”) + premere (“to press”).
Pronunciation
- (verb) enPR: ?mpr?s?, IPA(key): /?m?p??s/
- Rhymes: -?s
- (noun) enPR: ?m?pr?s, IPA(key): /??mp??s/
- Hyphenation: im?press
Verb
impress (third-person singular simple present impresses, present participle impressing, simple past and past participle impressed)
- (transitive) To affect (someone) strongly and often favourably.
- (intransitive) To make an impression, to be impressive.
- (transitive) To produce a vivid impression of (something).
- (transitive) To mark or stamp (something) using pressure.
- To produce (a mark, stamp, image, etc.); to imprint (a mark or figure upon something).
- (figuratively) To fix deeply in the mind; to present forcibly to the attention, etc.; to imprint; to inculcate.
- impress the motives and methods of persuasion upon our own hearts, till we feel the force and power of them.
- (transitive) To compel (someone) to serve in a military force.
- (transitive) To seize or confiscate (property) by force.
- the second £5,000 imprest for the service of the sick and wounded prisoners
Synonyms
- (transitive: affect strongly and often favourably): make an impression on
- (intransitive: make an impression, be impressive): cut a figure
- (produce a vivid impression of):
- (mark or stamp (something) using pressure): imprint, print, stamp
- (compel (someone) to serve in a military force):: pressgang
- (seize or confiscate (property) by force):: confiscate, impound, seize, sequester
Translations
Noun
impress (plural impresses)
- The act of impressing.
- An impression; an impressed image or copy of something.
- 1908, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans, Norton 2005, p. 1330:
- We know that you were pressed for money, that you took an impress of the keys which your brother held […]
- 1908, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans, Norton 2005, p. 1330:
- A stamp or seal used to make an impression.
- An impression on the mind, imagination etc.
- 2007, John Burrow, A History of Histories, Penguin 2009, p. 187:
- Such admonitions, in the English of the Authorized Version, left an indelible impress on imaginations nurtured on the Bible […]
- 2007, John Burrow, A History of Histories, Penguin 2009, p. 187:
- Characteristic; mark of distinction; stamp.
- we have God surveying the works of the creation, and leaving this general impress or character upon them
- A heraldic device; an impresa.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Cussans to this entry?)
- The act of impressing, or taking by force for the public service; compulsion to serve; also, that which is impressed.
Translations
Derived terms
- impressed
- impression
- impressive
- impressively
Further reading
- impress in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- impress in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
- impress at OneLook Dictionary Search
Anagrams
- Persism, mispers, permiss, premiss, simpers
impress From the web:
- what impression mean
- what impressed the animals about the jones' house
- what impresses you
- what impression does the graph create
- what impresses colleges
- what impressed festus about paul
- what impressions mean on instagram
- what first impression mean
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