| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
| |
| finger |
| |
| SYLLABICATION: | fin·ger |
| PRONUNCIATION: |  f ng g r |
| NOUN: | 1. One of the five digits of the hand, especially one other than the thumb. 2. The part of a glove designed to cover a finger. 3. Something, such as an oblong peninsula, that resembles one of the digits of the hand. 4. The length or width of a finger. 5. A degree of participation; a share: “seems almost sure to have a finger or two in crafting the final blueprint” (George B. Merry). 6. An obscene gesture of defiance or derision made by pointing or jabbing the middle finger upward. Often used with the. | | VERB: | Inflected forms: fin·gered, fin·ger·ing, fin·gers
| | TRANSITIVE VERB: | 1. To touch with the fingers; handle. See synonyms at touch. 2. Music a. To mark (a score) with indications of which fingers are to play the notes. b. To play (an instrument) by using the fingers in a particular order or way. 3. Slang a. To inform on. b. To designate, especially as an intended victim. | | INTRANSITIVE VERB: | 1. To handle something with the fingers. 2. Music To use the fingers in playing an instrument. | | IDIOMS: | have (or keep) (one's) fingers crossed To hope for a successful or advantageous outcome. lay (one's) (or a) finger on To locate; find: We haven't been able to lay a finger on those photos. put (one's) finger on To remember; recall: I know his name; I just can't put my finger on it. twist (or wrap) around (one's) little finger To dominate utterly and effortlessly. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English, from Old English. See penkwe in Appendix I. | | OTHER FORMS: | finger·er —NOUN
finger·less —ADJECTIVE
| | |
| |
| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
|
|
