Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary полностью

10 VERB If something that someone says or does touches you, it affects you emotionally, often because you see that they are suffering a lot or that they are being very kind. □ [V n to-inf] It has touched me deeply to see how these people live. □ [V n] Her enthusiasm touched me. ●  touched ADJ [v-link ADJ ] □  I was touched to find that he regards me as engaging.

11 VERB [usu passive] If something is touched with a particular quality, it has a certain amount of that quality. [WRITTEN ] □ [be V -ed + with ] His crinkly hair was touched with grey. □ [be V -ed + with ] The boy was touched with genius.

12 VERB [no cont, no passive] If you say about someone that nobody can touch him or her for a particular thing, you mean that he or she is much better at it than anyone else. □ [V n + for ] No one can touch these girls for professionalism. [Also V n]

13 VERB [no passive] To touch a particular level, amount, or score, especially a high one, means to reach it. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V n] By the third lap he had touched 289 m.p.h.

14 N‑COUNT A touch is a detail which is added to something to improve it. □  They called the event 'a tribute to heroes', which was a nice touch.

15 N‑SING If someone has a particular kind of touch , they have a particular way of doing something. □  The dishes he produces all have a personal touch.

16 QUANT A touch of something is a very small amount of it. □ [+ of ] She thought she just had a touch of flu.

17 PHRASE You can use a touch to mean slightly or to a small extent, especially in order to make something you say seem less extreme. For example, if you say that something is a touch expensive, you might really think that it is very expensive. [mainly BRIT , VAGUENESS ] □  We were all a touch uneasy, I think. □  I found it a touch distasteful.

18 → see also touching

19 PHRASE You use at the touch of in expressions such as at the touch of a button and at the touch of a key to indicate that something is possible by simply touching a switch or one of the keys of a keyboard. □  Staff will be able to trace calls at the touch of a button.

20 PHRASE If you say that someone has the common touch , you mean that they have the natural ability to have a good relationship with ordinary people and be popular with them. [APPROVAL ]

21 PHRASE If you get in touch with someone, you contact them by writing to them or phoning them. If you are, keep, or stay in touch with them, you write, phone, or visit each other regularly. □  The organisation would be in touch with him tomorrow.

22 PHRASE If you are in touch with a subject or situation, or if someone keeps you in touch with it, you know the latest news or information about it. If you are out of touch with it, you do not know the latest news or information about it. □  …keeping the unemployed in touch with the labour market. □  Mr Cavazos' problem was that he was out of touch.

23 PHRASE If you lose touch with someone, you gradually stop writing, phoning, or visiting them. □ [+ with ] In my job one tends to lose touch with friends.

24 PHRASE If you lose touch with something, you no longer have the latest news or information about it. □  Their leaders have lost touch with what is happening in the country.

25 PHRASE If you say that something is touch and go , you mean that you are uncertain whether it will happen or succeed. □  It was touch and go whether we'd go bankrupt.

26 PHRASE If you say that someone is a soft touch or an easy touch , you mean that they can easily be persuaded to lend you money or to do things for you. [INFORMAL ] □  Pamela was an easy touch when she needed some cash.

27would not touch someone or something with a barge pole → see barge pole

28the finishing touch → see finish