finger
Americannoun
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any of the terminal members of the hand, especially one other than the thumb.
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a part of a glove made to receive a finger.
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Zoology. a projection at the tip of an elephant’s trunk that facilitates dexterity essential for grasping.
If there are two fingers, it must be an African elephant, as the Asian elephant has only one.
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the breadth of a finger as a unit of measurement; digit.
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the length of a finger: approximately 4½ inches (11 centimeters).
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Slang. an informer or spy.
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something like a finger in form or use, as a projection or pointer.
a finger of land leading out into the bay;
the finger on the speedometer.
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any of various projecting parts of machines.
verb (used with object)
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to touch with the fingers; toy or meddle with; handle.
I couldn't refrain from fingering the beautiful silk scarves.
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to touch with the fingers so as to mar or spoil.
Please don't finger the vegetables.
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Music.
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to play on (an instrument) with the fingers.
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to perform or mark (a passage of music) with a certain fingering.
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Slang.
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to inform against or identify (a criminal) to the authorities.
He fingered the man who robbed the bank.
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to designate as a victim, as of murder or other crime.
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Slang: Vulgar. to stimulate (the vagina or anus) for sexual gratification by penetration with one or more fingers.
verb (used without object)
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to touch or handle something with the fingers.
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to extend in or as in the shape of a finger.
Landing piers finger out into the river along the city's shoreline.
idioms
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give (someone) the finger, to express contempt for (someone) by or as if by making the obscene gesture of pointing the middle finger upward while folding the other fingers against the palm and turning the back of the hand outward: Also flip (someone) the bird
Someone gave me the finger for driving too slow.
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have a finger in the pie,
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to have an interest or share in something.
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to meddle in something.
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burn one's fingers, to suffer injury or loss by meddling or by acting rashly.
If you get involved in the controversy, you may burn your fingers.
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snap one's fingers (at), to exhibit disdain or contempt (for).
She snaps her fingers at the local gossip.
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slip through one's fingers,
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to elude one, as an opportunity not taken; escape.
She let the chance of a lifetime slip through her fingers.
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to pass or be consumed quickly.
Money just slips through his fingers.
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keep one's fingers crossed, to wish for good luck or success, as in a specific endeavor.
Keep your fingers crossed that I get the job.
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twist / wrap around one's little finger, to exert one's influence easily or successfully upon.
He has a remarkable talent for twisting people around his little finger.
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lay / put one's finger on,
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put the finger on, finger.
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not lift a finger, to make not even a small attempt; do nothing.
The house was falling into ruin, but he wouldn't lift a finger to repair it.
noun
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Technical name: digitus manus. any of the digits of the hand, often excluding the thumb
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( as modifier )
a finger bowl
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( in combination )
a fingernail
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the part of a glove made to cover a finger
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something that resembles a finger in shape or function
a finger of land
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Also called: digit. the length or width of a finger used as a unit of measurement
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a quantity of liquid in a glass, etc, as deep as a finger is wide; tot
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a projecting machine part, esp one serving as an indicator, guide, or guard
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to suffer from having meddled or been rash
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informal to begin or speed up activity, esp after initial delay or slackness
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to have an interest in or take part in some activity
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to meddle or interfere
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(usually negative) to harm
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to indicate, identify, or locate accurately
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to allow to escape; miss narrowly
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(foll by an infinitive) not to make any effort (to do something)
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to accuse or blame
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informal
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to inform on or identify, esp for the police
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to choose (the victim or location of an intended crime)
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to have easy and complete control or influence over
verb
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(tr) to touch or manipulate with the fingers; handle
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informal (tr) to identify as a criminal or suspect
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(intr) to extend like a finger
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to use one's fingers in playing (an instrument, such as a piano or clarinet)
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to indicate on (a composition or part) the fingering required by a pianist, harpsichordist, etc
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(tr; usually passive) to arrange the keys of (a clarinet, flute, etc) for playing in a certain way
Other Word Forms
- fingerer noun
- fingerless adjective
- refinger verb
Etymology
Origin of finger
First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with German Finger, Dutch vinger, Old Norse fingr, Gothic figgrs
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As I traced one of them with my finger, he answered simply that he’d had an operation on his nerves.
From Salon
"But it doesn't help our chances of success if Ben Stokes keeps encouraging our batsmen to attack, attack with one finger hovering over the self-destruct button," Boycott wrote in his Daily Telegraph column.
From Barron's
The app also added an extra finger onto the influencers hand, and distorted her face.
From BBC
He is not pointing fingers at individuals although added "people seem desperate to hold on to positions of power".
From BBC
"Your fingers know where the keys are, your hands know when to turn."
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
