1719. Durfey, Pills to Purge., iv. 207. But give me the Buxom Country Lass . . . That will take a touch upon the grass, Ay, marry, and thank you too.
1725. Bailey, Erasmus, 'Lying-in Woman.' Would you have me persuade your Husband never to touch you more?
1751. Smollett, Peregrine Pickle, lxxxvii. He wrote a letter to Hatchway, desiring him to receive this hedge inamorata, and desired her to be cleaned and clothed in a decent manner . . . so that she should be touchable on his arrival.
1772. Bridges, Burlesque Homer, 361. May I for cats and dogs turn butcher, If ever yet she'd let me touch her.
7. (old).—To arrest (Grose).
Phrases and Colloquialisms. In touch with = (1) in sympathy, and (2) near at hand; out of touch with = (1) antagonistic, and (2) out-of-the-way, un-get-at-able; to touch one = to affect, concern, or influence; to touch a sore spot (up, home, or on the raws, etc.), to irritate by allusion or joke, to rub up the wrong way, to clinch an argument, advice, or comment; true as touch = absolutely true; to touch bottom (or bedrock) = (1) to reach the lowest point, and (2) to get at the truth of matters; to touch her up (nautical) = to shake a vessel by luffing; 'touch pot, touch penny' = 'no credit given'; 'touch bone and whistle' (Grose) = 'Anyone having broken wind backwards, according to vulgar law, may be pinched by any of the company till he has touched bone (i.e. his teeth) and whistled.'
c. 1400. Generydes (E. E. T. S.), 560. With that the quene was wroth in hir maner, Thought she anon this towchith me right near.
1549. Latimer, Serms. bef. Ed. VI., iii. They keep no touch; they will talk of many gay things; they will pretend this and that, but they keep no promise. Ibid. As the text doth rise, I will touch and go a little in every place.
1592. Shakspeare, 1 Henry VI., iv. 1. 118. The quarrel toucheth none but us alone.
1633. Shirley, Bird in a Cage, iv. 1. If Florence now keep touch, we shortly shall Conclude all fear with a glad nuptial.
1634. Ford, Perkin Warbeck, ii. 1. Beshrew me, but his words have touch'd me home.
1720. Swift, Elegy on Mr. Demar. He touched the pence when others touched the pot.
1772. Graves, Spiritual Quixote, iii. 2. We know the custom of such houses, continues he; 'tis touch-pot, touch-penny; we only want money's worth for our money.
1838. Beckett, Paradise Lost, 97. He's told by Dominus Factotum, To touch you up about the bottom.
1856. B. Taylor, Northern Travel, 43. A handsome, lively boy, whose pride was a little touched by my remonstrances.
[?]. New Princeton Rev., ii. 47. We want, with our brethren of the working class, that which we have largely lost . . . that expressive thing which we call touch.
1882. Pall Mall Gaz., 14 Sep. There were frequent halts to enable the regiments to maintain touch.
1889. Academy, 1 June, 371. The European in Morocco feels that when he is in company with a Barbary Jew he is in touch with Europe.
See Touched.
Touch-and-go, subs. and adj. (colloquial).—1.
Uncertain; risky;
nothing to spare; hasty; superficial:
of persons and things. As
subs. = (1) a narrow escape, a
close shave; and (2) a trifle. Also
a near (or close) touch (or
toucher); as near as a
toucher = as near as may be,
