Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary полностью

29touch wood → see wood

▸  touch down PHRASAL VERB When an aircraft touches down , it lands. □ [V P ] When we touched down at Heathrow we were all relieved just to get home.

▸  touch off PHRASAL VERB If something touches off a situation or series of events, it causes it to start happening. □ [V P n] Is the massacre likely to touch off a new round of violence? [Also V n P ]

touch|down /tʌ tʃdaʊn/ (touchdowns )

1 N‑VAR Touchdown is the landing of an aircraft or spacecraft. □  The astronauts are preparing for touchdown tomorrow morning.

2 N‑COUNT In rugby and American football, a touchdown is when a team scores points by taking the ball over the opposition's goal line.

tou|ché /tuːʃe I / CONVENTION You say ' touché ' when you want to admit that the other person in an argument has won a point, usually with a short and witty remark.

touch|ing /tʌ tʃ I ŋ/

1 ADJ If something is touching , it causes feelings of sadness or sympathy. □  This is a touching tale of adolescent friendship.

2 → see also touch

touch|less /tʌ tʃləs/ ADJ A touchless device is controlled by movements or sounds and does not require the user to touch a keypad or screen. □  The phone has a touchless display and is controlled by voice.

touch|line /tʌ tʃla I n/ N‑SING In sports such as rugby and football, the touchline is one of the two lines which mark the side of the playing area. [mainly BRIT ]

tou ch pa|per also touchpaper PHRASE If someone lights the touch paper or lights the blue touch paper , they do something which causes anger or excitement. [BRIT , JOURNALISM ] □  This kind of remark is guaranteed to light the blue touch paper with some Labour politicians.

tou ch-scree n (touch-screens ) also touchscreen N‑COUNT [oft N n] A touch-screen is a computer screen that allows the user to give commands to the computer by touching parts of the screen rather than by using the keyboard or mouse. [COMPUTING ]

tou ch-se n|si|tive ADJ Touch-sensitive equipment is operated by the user touching it. [COMPUTING ] □  The touch-sensitive controls are easy to operate.

touch|stone /tʌ tʃstoʊn/ (touchstones ) N‑COUNT If you use one thing as a touchstone of another, you use it as a test or standard by which you judge the second thing. □ [+ of/for ] Job security has become the touchstone of a good job for many employees.

tou ch-to ne ADJ [ADJ n] A touch-tone phone has numbered buttons that make different sounds when you press them. Some automatic phone services can only be used with this kind of telephone.

touchy /tʌ tʃi/ (touchier , touchiest )

1 ADJ If you describe someone as touchy , you mean that they are easily upset, offended, or irritated. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ about ] She is very touchy about her past.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you say that something is a touchy subject, you mean that it is a subject that needs to be dealt with carefully and in a sensitive way, because it might upset or offend people. □  …the touchy question of political reform.

touchy-feely /tʌ tʃi fiː li/ ADJ If you describe something as touchy-feely , you mean that it involves people expressing emotions such as love and affection openly in a way which you find embarrassing and silly. [DISAPPROVAL ] □  …a touchy-feely song about making your life worth living.

tough ◆◆◇ /tʌ f/ (tougher , toughest , toughs )

1 ADJ A tough person is strong and determined, and can tolerate difficulty or suffering. □  He built up a reputation as a tough businessman. □  She is tough and ambitious. ●  tough|ness N‑UNCOUNT □  Mrs Potter has a reputation for toughness and determination.