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.
27 would not touch someone or something with a barge pole → see barge pole
28 the finishing touch → see finish
29 touch 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.
2 ADJ If you describe someone as tough , you mean that they are rough and violent. □ He had shot three people dead, earning himself a reputation as a tough guy. ● N‑COUNT A tough is a tough person. □ Three burly toughs elbowed their way to the front.