noun | verb
fingerfinger1 /ˈfɪŋgɚ/ ●●● S2 W2 noun [countable] 1
PART OF YOUR HAND one of the four long thin parts on your hand, not including your thumb: She was wearing a ring on her finger.with your fingers We ate with our fingers. The tips of your fingers are very sensitive. She ran her fingers through her hair. “Who hit you?” “He did,” said Mike, pointing his finger at Ben. → see also index finger, little finger, middle finger, ring finger2GLOVE the part of a glove that covers your finger3put your finger on something to know or be able to explain exactly what is wrong, different, or unusual about a situation: I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s something different about you.4have/keep your finger on the pulse (of something) to always know about the most recent changes or developments in a situation or organization: Brokers have to keep their fingers on the pulse of the international markets.5LONG THIN SHAPE anything that is long and thin, like the shape of a finger, especially a piece of land, an area of water, or a piece of food: Fingers of flame spread in all directions. The kids want chicken fingers for dinner.6DRINK an amount of an alcoholic drink that is as high in the glass as the width of someone’s finger7twist/wrap somebody around your little finger to be able to persuade someone to do anything that you want: Before long, Jennifer had Carlos wrapped around her little finger.8have a finger in every pie to be involved in many activities and have influence over them, used especially to say that someone has too much influence[Origin: Old English] → see also burn your fingers at burn1 (17), cross your fingers at cross1 (1), -fingered, have a green thumb at green1 (8), lay a finger/hand on somebody at lay1 (6), not lift a finger at lift1 (1), point the finger at somebody at point2 (7), slip through your fingers at slip1 (10), snap your fingers at snap1 (7), have sticky fingers at sticky (4), work your fingers to the bone at work1 (25)COLLOCATIONSverbspoint your finger at somebody/something The man pointed his finger at my shoes.put/dip/stick/poke your finger in something He dipped his finger in the water to see how cold it was. Stop sticking your fingers in the cake mixture!cut your finger I cut my finger with the bread knife.prick your finger (=make a small hole in it) She pricked her finger when she was pruning the roses.run your fingers through somebody’s hair (=gently pass your fingers through someone’s hair) She ran her fingers through his hair.snap/click your fingers She was snapping her fingers in time to the music.drum/tap your fingers on something (=tap one finger after another against something, especially in an impatient way) He waited, drumming his fingers on the desk.cross your fingers (=put one finger over another as a way of wishing for good luck) I crossed my fingers, hoping the letter would be for me.wag/shake your finger (at somebody) (=shake your finger from side to side to show disapproval) “You naughty girl!” she said, wagging her finger.wiggle your fingers (=move them from side to side) The doctor asked him to wiggle his fingers.lace your fingers (=put your hands together with your fingers passing next to each other) He laced his fingers on top of the desk.adjectives/nouns + fingerlong fingers It’s good to have long fingers to play the piano.short/stubby fingers His fingers were surprisingly thick and stubby for a dentist.small/little/tiny fingers The baby had tiny fingers.thin/slim fingers (also slender fingers literary) She had long slender fingers.bony fingers (=extremely thin) I felt her cold bony fingers on my shoulder.fat fingers He held his cigar with two big fat fingers.chubby/pudgy fingers especially approving (=a little fat) The baby touched her hand with his pudgy fingers.nimble fingers (=skilful fingers) Surgeons need to have nimble fingers.gnarled fingers (=old and twisted) The old man held the fork with his gnarled fingers.sticky fingers The kids had left marks on the windows with their sticky fingers.trembling/shaking fingers She opened the letter with trembling fingers.an accusing finger “What are you doing?” he said, pointing an accusing finger at Paul.your index finger (=the finger next to your thumb) You point with your index finger.your middle finger He clicked his thumb and middle finger.your ring finger (=the third finger from your thumb) The large diamond sparkled on her ring finger.your little finger (=the fourth finger from your thumb) He broke his little finger playing baseball.a dislocated finger (=injured because one of the bones has moved out of its normal position) The doctor said he had a dislocated finger. noun | verb
fingerfinger2 verb [transitive] 1to touch or handle something with your fingers: She fingered the beautiful cloth with envy.2slang if someone, especially a criminal, fingers another criminal, he or she tells the police what the other person has done SYN inform