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Synonyms

lay a finger on

Idioms  

  1. Also, put a finger on. Barely touch, as in You'd better not lay a finger on those documents! or If you lay a finger on me, I'll sue. This expression is nearly always used as a prohibition. [Mid-1800s] Also see put one's finger on.

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.

Bournemouth slaughtered them and they didn't lay a finger on Bayern Munich in a game they had to win.

From BBC

Nobody from the Jets could lay a finger on Holland as he gave the Dolphins an 11-point lead following a second quarter touchdown from Tyreek Hill.

From BBC

But it didn’t lay a finger on the underlying disease.

From Los Angeles Times

And after Mr. Dinh said that the Dominion lawyer who led the questioning, Justin Nelson, “didn’t lay a finger on you,” Mr. Murdoch pointed to Mr. Nelson and said, “I think he would strongly disagree with that.”

From New York Times

“I’m just going to say it. They didn’t lay a finger on you,” Mr. Dinh said.

From New York Times

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.