Library / English Dictionary

FINGER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

One of the parts of a glove that provides covering for a finger or thumb

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("finger" is a kind of...):

covering (an artifact that covers something else (usually to protect or shelter or conceal it))

Holonyms ("finger" is a part of...):

glove (handwear: covers the hand and wrist)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)

Example:

her fingers were long and thin

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("finger" is a kind of...):

dactyl; digit (a finger or toe in human beings or corresponding body part in other vertebrates)

extremity (that part of a limb that is farthest from the torso)

Meronyms (parts of "finger"):

fingertip (the end (tip) of a finger)

pad (the fleshy cushion-like underside of an animal's foot or of a human's finger)

fingernail (the nail at the end of a finger)

knuckle; knuckle joint; metacarpophalangeal joint (a joint of a finger when the fist is closed)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "finger"):

pollex; thumb (the thick short innermost digit of the forelimb)

forefinger; index; index finger (the finger next to the thumb)

annualry; ring finger (the third finger (especially of the left hand))

middle finger (the second finger; between the index finger and the ring finger)

little finger; pinkie; pinky (the finger farthest from the thumb)

Holonyms ("finger" is a part of...):

hand; manus; mitt; paw (the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb)

Derivation:

finger (indicate the fingering for the playing of musical scores for keyboard instruments)

finger (examine by touch)

finger (feel or handle with the fingers)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The length of breadth of a finger used as a linear measure

Synonyms:

digit; finger; finger's breadth; fingerbreadth

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Hypernyms ("finger" is a kind of...):

linear measure; linear unit (a unit of measurement of length)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Indicate the fingering for the playing of musical scores for keyboard instruments

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "finger" is one way to...):

designate; indicate; point; show (indicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figuratively)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

finger (any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb))

fingering (the placement of the fingers for playing different notes (or sequences of notes) on a musical instrument)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Examine by touch

Example:

The customer fingered the sweater

Synonyms:

feel; finger

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

"Finger" entails doing...:

touch (make physical contact with, come in contact with)

Verb group:

feel (grope or feel in search of something)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

finger (any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb))

fingering (touching something with the fingers)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Feel or handle with the fingers

Example:

finger the binding of the book

Synonyms:

finger; thumb

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "finger" is one way to...):

touch (make physical contact with, come in contact with)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

finger (any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb))

fingering (touching something with the fingers)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Search for on the computer

Example:

I fingered my boss and found that he is not logged on in the afternoons

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "finger" is one way to...):

look for; search; seek (try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Credits

 Context examples: 

Except NAIP, family members typically contain two or three BIR repeats and a C-terminal RING finger.

(BIR Domain, NCI Thesaurus)

Encoded by human BARD1 Gene, nuclear BARD-1 Protein contains a RING zinc finger, three tandem ANK repeats, and two BRCT domains.

(BRCA1 Associated RING Domain Protein 1, NCI Thesaurus)

“The county police ought to make something of that,” said he; “why, it is surely obvious that—” But I held up a warning finger.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

This protein is comprised of the N-terminal TAFH domain of the protein CBFA2T3 protein fused to the zinc finger protein GLIS2 protein.

(CBFA2T3/GLIS2 Fusion Protein, NCI Thesaurus)

Symptoms include burning pain and paresthesias involving the ventral surface of the hand and fingers which may radiate proximally.

(Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

BCL6 protein is may be a transcription factor and contains six zinc finger motifs and shares an N-terminal POZ domain homologous to other transcription factors.

(BCL6 Protein, NCI Thesaurus)

Acf1 contains a PHD-finger and is able to modulate the internucleosomal spacing of chromatin by an ATP-dependent mechanism.

(ACF complex, NCI Thesaurus)

BPA is, precisely, that white powder that sticks to your fingers.

(Purchase receipts with easily erasable ink contain cancer- and infertility inducing substances, University of Granada)

The Brazilian biosensor can identify an enzyme called glucose oxidase — widely used to detect free glucose in body fluids — in tears, eliminating the need for finger pricking.

(Brazilian researchers eye biosensors to monitor diabetes, SciDev.Net)

A rare disorder which affects the volar surfaces of fingers.

(Achenbach Syndrome, NCI Thesaurus)