to have a sensation of (something), other than by sight, hearing, taste, or smell: to feel a toothache.
to find or pursue (one's way) by touching, groping, or cautious moves.
to be or become conscious of.
to be emotionally affected by: to feel one's disgrace keenly.
to experience the effects of: The whole region felt the storm.
to have a particular sensation or impression of (often used reflexively and usually followed by an adjunct or complement): to feel oneself slighted.
to have a general or thorough conviction of; think; believe: I feel he's guilty.
verb (used without object),felt,feel·ing.
to have perception by touch or by any nerves of sensation other than those of sight, hearing, taste, and smell.
to make examination by touch; grope.
to perceive a state of mind or a condition of body: to feel happy; to feel well.
to have a sensation of being: to feel warm.
to make itself perceived or apparent; seem: How does it feel to be rich?
noun
a quality of an object that is perceived by feeling or touching: the soft feel of cotton.
a sensation of something felt; a vague mental impression or feeling: a feel of winter; a feel of sadness in the air.
the sense of touch: soft to the feel.
native ability or acquired sensitivity: to have a feel for what is right.
Informal. an act or instance of touching with the hand or fingers.
Slang: Vulgar. an act or instance of feeling up.
feels,Informal.strong, often positive feelings: That song gives me feels.I have so many feels right now.
Verb Phrases
feel for,
to feel sympathy for or compassion toward; empathize with: I know you're disappointed and upset, and I feel for you.
Southeastern Pennsylvania and Maryland.to have a liking or desire for: If you feel for more pie, just help yourself.
feel out, to attempt to ascertain (the nature of a situation, someone's attitude, etc.) by indirect or subtle means: Why not feel out the other neighbors' opinions before you make a complaint.
feel up, Slang: Vulgar. to fondle or touch (someone) in a sexual manner.
feel up to, Informal. to feel or be able to; be capable of: He didn't feel up to going to the theater so soon after his recent illness.
Idioms
cop a feel, Slang: Vulgar. to touch another person's body sexually, often in a quick and surreptitious way.
feel like, Informal.
to have a desire for; be favorably disposed to: I don't feel like going out tonight. Do you feel like a movie?
to think; have the opinion (often used to soften the tone of discourse): I feel like this is the only solution in this case.
to have a particular impression; believe (used to express emotional sentiments): I feel like she doesn't love me anymore.
feel like oneself, to be in one's usual frame of mind or state of health: She hasn't been feeling like herself since the accident.Also feel oneself.
before 900;Middle Englishfelen,Old Englishfēlan; cognate with Old Saxonfōlian,Germanfühlen; akin to Old Norsefalma to grope. See fumble
Related formso·ver·feel, verb,o·ver·felt,o·ver·feel·ing.re·feel, verb,re·felt,re·feel·ing.
Usage note
When the verb feel is used in the sense "to think or believe," it typically implies believing or having an opinion on the basis of emotion or intuition, even in circumstances unsupported by much real evidence. Although some usage experts object, such use is well established in English and can be traced as far back as Middle English. When feel is used specifically to express a subjective impression, it is often used with as if, as though, or that and followed by a full sentence: I felt as if my world had come to an end. He feels as though it is always raining. I feel that things will get better now. More informally, feel can be used without as if/as though/that : I feel he's guilty. And a full sentence does not have to follow: I felt his answer to be impolite. In the same sense of "to think or believe," an alternative phrase feel like is found in informal or casual speech. This use of feel like typically expresses an opinion or emotional sentiment with a softened or tentative tone: I feel like nothing is getting done here. I feel like he is just too arrogant. Though increasingly common, use of the phrase feel like has been criticized as lazy thinking that ignores real evidence, while avoiding confrontation and debate.
Old English felan "to touch, perceive," from Proto-Germanic *foljan (cf. Old Saxon gifolian, Old Frisian fela, Dutch voelen, Old High German vuolen, German fühlen "to feel," Old Norse falma "to grope"), from PIE root *pal- "to touch, feel, shake, strike softly" (cf. Greek psallein "to pluck (the harp)," Latin palpare "to touch softly, stroke," palpitare "to move quickly"), perhaps ultimately imitative.
The sense in Old English was "to perceive through senses which are not referred to any special organ." Sense of "be conscious of a sensation or emotion" developed by late 13c.; that of "to have sympathy or compassion" is from c.1600. To feel like "want to" attested from 1829.
feel
n.
early 13c., "sensation, understanding," from feel (v.). Meaning "action of feeling" is from mid-15c. "Sensation produced by something" is from 1739. Noun sense of "sexual grope" is from 1932; from verbal phrase to feel (someone) up (1930).
Grope, reach for with one's hands, as in It was pitch dark, and I felt for the doorknob. [Early 1700s]
2
feel for someone. Sympathize with or feel sorry for someone, as in Tom was so upset that I felt for him. This usage was put as feel with by Shakespeare: “It resounds as if it felt with Scotland” (Macbeth, 4:3). Both senses of feel for are present in the somewhat sarcastic I feel for you but I can't quite reach you, meaning “Too bad, but I don't really feel sorry for you.”
