finger

1 noun (C)

1 PART OF YOUR HAND one of the four long thin parts on your hand, not including your thumb: She let sand run through her fingers. | Tim ran his finger along the windowsill.

—see also: index finger, little finger, middle finger, ring finger

2 not lift/raise a finger to not make any effort to help someone with their work: We moved furniture all day long, and Sarah never lifted a finger.

3 keep your fingers crossed to hope that something will happen the way you want: We're all keeping our fingers crossed that Dan will actually call Megan.

4 put your finger on to realize exactly what is wrong, different, or unusual about a situation: I couldn't quite put my finger on what was different about Simone.

5 not lay a finger on sb to not hurt someone at all, especially not to hit them: Don't you dare lay a finger on me, or I'll call the police!

6 be all fingers and thumbs BrE to use your hands in an awkward or careless way, so that you drop or break things

7 pull/take/get your finger out BrE spoken used to tell someone to work harder

8 be caught with your fingers in the till to be found stealing money from the place where you work

9 SHAPED LIKE A FINGER 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

10 DRINK an amount of an alcoholic drink that is as high in the glass as the width of someone's finger: Gimme three fingers of whiskey, and make it quick!

11 have a finger in every pie an expression meaning to be involved in many activities and have influence over them, used especially when you think someone has too much influence

12 have/keep your finger on the pulse to always know about the most recent changes or developments in a situation or organization

13 twist/wrap sb around your little finger to be able to persuade someone to do anything that you want

14 put two fingers up at sb BrE informal to show someone you are angry with them in a very offensive way by holding up your first two fingers with the back of your hand facing them

15 give sb the finger AmE informal to show someone you are angry with them in a very offensive way by holding up your middle finger with the back of your hand facing them

16 long-fingered/delicate-fingered etc having long fingers, delicate fingers etc: Lee rubbed his stubby-fingered hands together.

17 two-fingered/three-fingered etc using two, three etc fingers to do something: I've become pretty fast, even with my two-fingered typing.

—see also: fish finger, have green fingers green 1 (10), burn your fingers burn 1 (18), point the finger at sb point 2 (7), let sth slip through your fingers slip 1 (7), snap your fingers snap 1 (6), have sticky fingers sticky (6), work your fingers to the bone work 1 (27) 2 verb (T)

1 to touch or handle something with your fingers: She fingered the beautiful cloth with envy.

2 informal especially AmE if someone, especially a criminal, fingers another criminal, they tell the police what they have done