to |tem pole (totem poles ) N‑COUNT A totem pole is a long wooden pole with symbols and pictures carved and painted on it. Totem poles are made by some Native American peoples and placed outside their homes.
totes /toʊ ts/ ADV Totes is a written and spoken abbreviation for 'totally'. [INFORMAL ] □ You are, like, totes amazing!
tot|ter /tɒ tə r / (totters , tottering , tottered )
1 VERB If someone totters somewhere, they walk there in an unsteady way, for example because they are ill or drunk. □ [V prep/adv] He tottered to the fridge, got a drink and slumped at the table.
2 VERB If something such as a market or government is tottering , it is weak and likely to collapse or fail completely. □ [V ] The property market is tottering. □ [V -ing] …further criticism of the tottering government.
tou|can /tuː kən, [AM ] -kæn/ (toucans ) N‑COUNT A toucan is a South American bird with a large brightly-coloured beak.
touch ◆◆◇ /tʌ tʃ/ (touches , touching , touched )
1 VERB If you touch something, you put your hand onto it in order to feel it or to make contact with it. □ [V n] Her tiny hands gently touched my face. □ [V -ing] The virus is not passed on through touching or shaking hands. ● N‑COUNT [usu sing] Touch is also a noun. □ Sometimes even a light touch on the face is enough to trigger off this pain.
2 VERB If two things are touching , or if one thing touches another, or if you touch two things, their surfaces come into contact with each other. □ [V ] Their knees were touching. □ [V n + with ] A cyclist crashed when he touched wheels with another rider. □ [V n] If my arm touches the wall, it has to be washed again. □ [V n] In some countries people stand close enough to touch elbows. □ [V n + with ] He touched the cow's side with his stick.
3 N‑UNCOUNT Your sense of touch is your ability to tell what something is like when you feel it with your hands. □ The evidence suggests that our sense of touch is programmed to diminish with age.
4 VERB To touch something means to strike it, usually quite gently. □ [V n] As the aeroplane went down the runway, the wing touched a pile of rubble.
5 VERB [usu passive] If something has not been touched , nobody has dealt with it or taken care of it. □ [be V -ed] When John began to restore the house, nothing had been touched for 40 years.
6 VERB If you say that you did not touch someone or something, you are emphasizing that you did not attack, harm, or destroy them, especially when you have been accused of doing so. [EMPHASIS ] □ [V n] Pearce remained adamant, saying 'I didn't touch him'. □ [V n] I was in the garden. I never touched the sandwiches.
7 VERB [no passive] You say that you never touch something or that you have not touched something for a long time to emphasize that you never use it, or you have not used it for a long time. [EMPHASIS ] □ [V n] I never touch chocolate, it gives me spots.
8 VERB If you touch on a particular subject or problem, you mention it or write briefly about it. □ [V + on/upon ] The film touches on these issues, but only superficially.
9 VERB If something touches you, it affects you in some way for a short time. □ [V n] …a guilt that in some sense touches everyone.
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 ]