Meaning & use
finger
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Meanings
nouncountable
One of the five long, thin parts at the end of your hand, used for holding and touching things.
Grammar: Countable; plural is fingers. Often used in phrases like 'index finger' or 'ring finger'.
Patterns
- point a finger at someone
- have a finger in something
She wore a silver ring on her index finger.
He pointed his finger at the map to show the route.
The baby grabbed my finger and held it tightly.
verbtransitive
To touch or feel something with your fingers, often in a careful or repeated way.
Grammar: Takes an object: finger the fabric. Can suggest nervousness or curiosity.
Patterns
- finger something nervously
- finger the edge of something
She fingered the edge of the tablecloth while waiting.
He fingered the coins in his pocket, unsure whether to buy the toy.
The child fingered the soft wool of the blanket.
verbtransitiveinformal
To identify or accuse someone of a crime or wrongdoing, especially informally.
Grammar: Takes an object: finger someone for the theft. Often used in passive: be fingered as the culprit.
Patterns
- finger someone for something
- finger someone as something
The police fingered him for the robbery based on a tip.
She was fingered as the leak, though she denied it.
Don't finger anyone without proof.
Word forms
| plural | fingers |
|---|---|
| third person singular | fingers |
| past tense | fingered |
| past participle | fingered |
| -ing form | fingering |
Common combinations
- index finger
- He used his index finger to press the button.
- ring finger
- She wears her wedding ring on her ring finger.
- point a finger at
- It's easy to point a finger at others, but we must all take responsibility.
- finger food
- The party served finger food like mini sandwiches and olives.
- have a finger in every pie
- He has a finger in every pie, from local politics to business.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- fingernail noun
- The hard part at the end of a finger.
- fingerprint noun
- The mark made by the ridges on a finger.
- fingertip noun
- The very end of a finger.
- fingerless adjective
- Without fingers, as in fingerless gloves.
Commonly confused: finger or thumb?
finger vs thumb
A thumb is the short, thick first digit of the hand, but it is not usually called a finger in everyday English.
Practice
She ___ the fabric gently to feel its texture.
Choose one answer.
To 'finger' something means to touch or feel it with your fingers. 'Thumbed' means to touch with the thumb, which is less precise here. 'Handed' means to pass something, and 'armed' is unrelated.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “finger”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.