touch verb
1 put your hand on sb/sth; be in contact with sb/sth
ADV. (not) actually, not even, not quite He did not actually touch the substance, but may have inhaled microparticles. | barely, hardly, scarcely You've hardly touched your food (= not eaten it). | almost, nearly, practically Their faces were almost touching. | just | briefly His fingers briefly touched hers. | gently, lightly | gingerly | accidentally, inadvertently He accidentally touched a live wire attached to overhead power cables. | never He said I kicked him, but I never touched him!
VERB + TOUCH want to | (not) dare (to) Don't you dare touch me! | reach out to Her hand reached out to touch his cheek. | let sb He wouldn't let me touch the wound.
PREP. on He touched her gently on the arm. | with She touched him with her hand.
2 make sb feel a strong emotion
ADV. deeply The story touched me very deeply. PHRASAL VERBS touch on/upon sth
ADV. briefly | just, merely Photojournalism and the birth of photography are merely touched on in the book.
VERB + TOUCH want to I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.