touchwood

[ tuhch-wood ]

/ ˈtʌtʃˌwʊd /

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noun

wood converted into an easily ignitible substance by the action of certain fungi, and used as tinder; punk.

Mycology. amadou.

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Origin of touchwood

First recorded in 1570–80; touch + wood¹

Words nearby touchwood

touch system, touch-tackle, touch-tone, touch-type, touch-up, touchwood, touchy, touchy-feely, Touggourt, tough, tough break

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use touchwood in a sentence

After a time, in place of the touchwood, tinder was used, which was made by scorching old linen handkerchiefs.
American Inventions and Inventors|William A. Mowry
“No—no—d—n it—no,” said Touchwood, extremely angry at his disaster, and the cause of it.
St. Ronan's Well|Sir Walter Scott
Since Tyrrel's departure, no one pretends to guess what old Touchwood will do with his money.
St. Ronan's Well|Sir Walter Scott
I guess we shall have to put a new bottom into her, for most of her planks are as rotten as touchwood.
In the Wilds of Florida|W.H.G. Kingston

These men and horses and the gun were put on board this big tinder-box, all fire and touchwood.
Pictures of Southern Life|William Howard Russell

British Dictionary definitions for touchwood

touchwood

/ (ˈtʌtʃˌwʊd) /

noun

something, esp dry wood or fungus material such as amadou, used as tinder

Word Origin for touchwood

C16: touch (in the sense: to kindle) + wood 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012