verbuk/tʌtʃ/ us/tʌtʃ/

touch verb PUT HAND ON

B1 [ I or T ] to put your hand or another part of your body lightly onto and off something or someone碰，触摸

That paint is wet - don't touch (it).那块油漆没干——别碰（它）。

He touched the girl on the arm to get her attention.他碰了碰女孩的胳膊以引起她的注意。

The boy touched the worm with (= using, in his hand) a twig.小孩用小树枝碰了碰虫子。

figurative The setting sun touched the trees with red (= made them appear red for a short time).落日的余晖染红了树林。

More examples

Don't touch the machine when it's in use.

The water's not deep here - look, I can touch the bottom.

I could feel myself tense up as he touched my neck.

A new baby will automatically curl its fingers round any object it touches.

"You're burning up!" she said, touching his forehead.

touch verb BE CLOSE TOGETHER

B2 [ I or T ] (of two or more things) to be so close together that there is no space between; to be in contact（两个或两个以上的物品）接触

He fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.他头一沾枕头就睡着了。

She pushed the two bookcases together until they touched/were touching.她把两个书柜推到一起。

touch verb HARM/DAMAGE

C2 to harm someone, or use or damage something伤害（某人）；使用（某物）；破坏（某物）

Please don't touch any of my stuff while I'm away.我不在时候请不要碰我的东西。

touch verb EAT/DRINK

[ T ] informal (usually used in negative sentences) to eat or drink something沾，吃，喝

They didn't touch any of the food we left for them.我们留下来给他们的食物，他们一点也没碰。

Honestly, I haven't touched a drop (= drunk any alcohol) all night.老实说，我整晚滴酒未沾。

touch verb INFLUENCE

[ T ] to influence someone or something emotionally, or cause feelings of sympathy in someone触动，感动

Tragedy touched their lives when their son was 16.他们儿子16岁那年，他们的生活中发生了悲剧。

The TV report about the children's work for charity touched thousands of people's hearts.电视上报道的孩子们为慈善团体所做的事令成千上万的人深受触动。

touch verb BE AS GOOD

[ T ] (usually used in negative sentences) to have or reach the same standard (= level of quality) as someone or something（通常用于否定句）比得上

Her novels can't touch (= are not as good as) those of her sister.她的小说不及她姐姐的好。

There's no one to touch him as an illustrator of children's books.在为儿童读物创作插图方面，没人比他画得好。

Idiom(s)

touch base

touch wood

touch/strike/hit a (raw) nerve

wouldn't touch sth with a barge pole

Phrasal verb(s)

touch down

touch sth in

touch sth off

touch on/upon sth

touch sth up

touch sb up

nounuk/tʌtʃ/ us/tʌtʃ/

touch noun SMALL AMOUNT

C2 [ S ] a small amount少许

"Would you like milk?" "Just a touch."“你要牛奶吗？”“只要一点儿。”

There was a touch of irony/humour in her voice.她的话音中带着点儿讽刺／幽默的意味。

[ S ] informal To show that an illness is not too serious, you can say you have had a touch of it.（病的）轻度

I had a touch of flu/hay fever.我得了轻度流感／枯草热。

C2 [ C ] a small addition or detail that makes something better装点，润色

The speech had several comic touches.这一演讲有几分滑稽色彩。

Using a sailing ship as the company logo was a touch of genius (= a good/clever idea or action).用大帆船作公司的标志真是个天才的想法。

The flowers on the table provided the finishing touch.桌上的花是最后一道点缀。

a touch

slightly有点儿，微微

The weather has turned a touch too cold for my liking.天气变得有点儿凉，我不太喜欢。

More examples

There was so much publicity and hype beforehand, that the performance itself was a touch anticlimactic.

There was a touch of frost on the hills.

Add just a touch of cream to the mixture.

His work has a touch of pathos.

The gold decoration will add a touch of class.

touch noun FEELING

B2 [ U ] the ability to know what something is like by feeling it with the fingers触觉

the sense of touch触觉

I found the right coin in the dark by touch.我在黑暗中摸索着找对了硬币。

to the touch also to your touch

B2 used after an adjective to express how something feels when you put your hand on it（用于形容词后）摸起来（感到…）

The material was soft to the touch.这块布料摸起来很柔软。

More examples

Although snakes look slimy their skin is actually dry to the touch.

I felt a gentle touch on my arm.

I can control the doors at the touch of a switch.

Her skin was icy to the touch.

touch noun MOVEMENT ONTO/OFF

B2 [ C usually singular ] a quick, light movement of one thing, especially a hand, onto and off another thing（尤指用手）触摸，碰

I felt a cold touch on my arm.我感到有什么冰凉的东西碰到了我的胳膊。

At a/the touch of a button, the door opened.一碰按钮，门就开了。

touch noun COMMUNICATION

be, get, keep, etc. in touch

B1 to communicate or continue to communicate with someone by using a phone or writing to them有／取得／保持（等等）联系

Are you still in touch with any of your old school friends?你还和以前学生时代的老朋友有联系吗？

Jen and I never kept in touch after college.我和简大学毕业后就没有联系过。

We're in close touch with our office in Spain.我们与西班牙的办事处有密切的联系。

More examples

Is she still in touch with her ex?

Many therapists think it's important for adults to get in touch with their inner child.

The police put me in touch with Victim Support.

The president responded angrily to the charge that she had lost touch with her country's people.

lose touch

B2 to stop communicating with someone, usually because they do not live near you now（通常因身居异地）失去联系

We lost touch over the years.我们这些年失去了联系。

touch noun ABILITY

[ S or U ] an ability to do things in the stated, especially positive, way特长；才能

He has a deft touch with tricky painting jobs.他很善于做复杂的油漆活。

She gave the job her own special/magic/professional/personal touch.这项工作展现了她独特／神奇／专业／个人的才能。

I admire her lightness/sureness of touch as a cook.我欣赏她做厨师的精细／踏实劲儿。

He used to be a good writer but I think he's losing his touch.他曾经是个好作家，但我觉得他的创作能力正在下降。

touch noun BALL CONTROL

[ C or U ] in sports such as football, a player's ability to control the ball and make it do what they want, or an occasion when a player controls the ball with their foot（足球等体育中）触球能力；触球

Nicolas Anelka squandered the chance to score when his touch let him down in front of goal. 尼古拉·安内尔卡在球门前触球不当，浪费了一次进球机会。

Hazard took several touches before crossing.哈扎德触了好几次球之后把球传中。

touch noun SPORT

[ U ] the area outside either of the long edges of the space on which football and rugby are played（足球及类似体育运动的）边线以外区域

Playing for safety, he kicked the ball into touch.为了安全起见，他把球踢出了界外。

See also

touchline

touch noun KNOWLEDGE

be in/out of touch

C2 If you are in touch/out of touch with a subject, activity, or situation, your knowledge about it is recent/not recent.了解／不了解最新情况

He's not really in touch with what young people are interested in.他并不真正了解年轻人现在对什么感兴趣。

I didn't see any news all the time I was on holiday, so I'm completely out of touch.我在度假期间一直都没有看新闻，所以现在对外界一无所知。