7  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Finger  \Fin"ger\,  n.  [AS.  finger;  akin  to  D.  vinger,  OS  &  OHG. 
  fingar,  G.  finger,  Icel.  fingr,  Sw  &  Dan.  finger,  Goth. 
  figgrs  of  unknown  origin;  perh.  akin  to  E.  fang.] 
  1.  One  of  the  five  terminating  members  of  the  hand;  a  digit; 
  esp.,  one  of  the  four  extermities  of  the  hand,  other  than 
  the  thumb. 
 
  2.  Anything  that  does  work  of  a  finger;  as  the  pointer  of  a 
  clock,  watch,  or  other  registering  machine;  especially 
  (Mech.)  a  small  projecting  rod,  wire,  or  piece,  which  is 
  brought  into  contact  with  an  object  to  effect,  direct,  or 
  restrain  a  motion. 
 
  3.  The  breadth  of  a  finger,  or  the  fourth  part  of  the  hand;  a 
  measure  of  nearly  an  inch;  also  the  length  of  finger,  a 
  measure  in  domestic  use  in  the  United  States,  of  about 
  four  and  a  half  inches  or  one  eighth  of  a  yard. 
 
  A  piece  of  steel  three  fingers  thick.  --Bp.  Wilkins. 
 
  4.  Skill  in  the  use  of  the  fingers,  as  in  playing  upon  a 
  musical  instrument.  [R.] 
 
  She  has  a  good  finger.  --Busby. 
 
  {Ear  finger},  the  little  finger. 
 
  {Finger  alphabet}.  See  {Dactylology}. 
 
  {Finger  bar},  the  horizontal  bar,  carrying  slotted  spikes,  or 
  fingers,  through  which  the  vibratory  knives  of  mowing  and 
  reaping  machines  play. 
 
  {Finger  board}  (Mus.),  the  part  of  a  stringed  instrument 
  against  which  the  fingers  press  the  strings  to  vary  the 
  tone;  the  keyboard  of  a  piano,  organ,  etc.;  manual. 
 
  {Finger}  {bowl  or  glass},  a  bowl  or  glass  to  hold  water  for 
  rinsing  the  fingers  at  table. 
 
  {Finger  flower}  (Bot.),  the  foxglove. 
 
  {Finger  grass}  (Bot.),  a  kind  of  grass  ({Panicum  sanguinale}) 
  with  slender  radiating  spikes;  common  crab  grass.  See 
  {Crab  grass},  under  {Crab}. 
 
  {Finger  nut},  a  fly  nut  or  thumb  nut. 
 
  {Finger  plate},  a  strip  of  metal,  glass,  etc.,  to  protect  a 
  painted  or  polished  door  from  finger  marks. 
 
  {Finger  post},  a  guide  post  bearing  an  index  finger. 
 
  {Finger  reading},  reading  printed  in  relief  so  as  to  be 
  sensible  to  the  touch;  --  so  made  for  the  blind. 
 
  {Finger  shell}  (Zo["o]l.),  a  marine  shell  ({Pholas  dactylus}) 
  resembling  a  finger  in  form 
 
  {Finger  sponge}  (Zo["o]l.),  a  sponge  having  finger-shaped 
  lobes,  or  branches. 
 
  {Finger  stall},  a  cover  or  shield  for  a  finger. 
 
  {Finger  steel},  a  steel  instrument  for  whetting  a  currier's 
  knife. 
 
  {To  burn  one's  fingers}.  See  under  {Burn}. 
 
  {To  have  a  finger  in},  to  be  concerned  in  [Colloq.] 
 
  {To  have  at  one's  fingers'  ends},  to  be  thoroughly  familiar 
  with  [Colloq.] 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Finger  \Fin"ger\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Fingered};  p.  pr  &  vb 
  n.  {Fingering}.] 
  1.  To  touch  with  the  fingers;  to  handle;  to  meddle  with 
 
  Let  the  papers  lie;  You  would  be  fingering  them  to 
  anger  me  --Shak. 
 
  2.  To  touch  lightly;  to  toy  with 
 
  3.  (Mus.) 
  a  To  perform  on  an  instrument  of  music. 
  b  To  mark  the  notes  of  (a  piece  of  music)  so  as  to  guide 
  the  fingers  in  playing. 
 
  4.  To  take  thievishly;  to  pilfer;  to  purloin.  --Shak. 
 
  5.  To  execute,  as  any  delicate  work 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Finger  \Fin"ger\,  v.  i.  (Mus.) 
  To  use  the  fingers  in  playing  on  an  instrument.  --Busby. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  finger 
  n  1:  any  of  the  terminal  members  of  the  hand  (sometimes  excepting 
  the  thumb);  "her  fingers  were  long  and  thin" 
  2:  the  length  of  breadth  of  a  finger  used  as  a  linear  measure 
  [syn:  {fingerbreadth},  {finger's  breadth},  {digit}] 
  v  1:  feel  or  handle  with  the  fingers;  "finger  the  binding  of  the 
  book"  [syn:  {thumb}] 
  2:  examine  by  touch;  "Feel  this  soft  cloth!";  "The  customer 
  fingered  the  sweater"  [syn:  {feel}] 
  3:  search  for  on  the  computer 
  4:  indicate  the  fingering  for  the  playing  of  musical  scores  for 
  keyboard  instruments 
 
  From  U.S.  Gazetteer  (1990)  [gazetteer]: 
 
  Finger,  TN  (city,  FIPS  26160) 
  Location:  35.35474  N,  88.61548  W 
  Population  (1990):  279  (120  housing  units) 
  Area:  3.9  sq  km  (land),  0.0  sq  km  (water) 
  Zip  code(s):  38334 
 
  From  Jargon  File  (4.2.3,  23  NOV  2000)  [jargon]: 
 
  finger  [WAITS,  via  BSD  Unix]  1.  n.  A  program  that  displays 
  information  about  a  particular  user  or  all  users  logged  on  the  system, 
  or  a  remote  system.  Typically  shows  full  name  last  login  time,  idle 
  time,  terminal  line  and  terminal  location  (where  applicable).  May  also 
  display  a  {plan  file}  left  by  the  user  (see  also  {Hacking  X  for  Y}). 
  2.  vt  To  apply  finger  to  a  username  3.  vt  By  extension,  to  check 
  a  human's  current  state  by  any  means  "Foodp?"  "T!"  "OK,  finger  Lisa 
  and  see  if  she's  idle."  4.  Any  picture  (composed  of  ASCII  characters) 
  depicting  `the  finger'.  Originally  a  humorous  component  of  one's  plan 
  file  to  deter  the  curious  fingerer  (sense  2),  it  has  entered  the  arsenal 
  of  some  {flamer}s. 
 
 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  finger 
 
    1.  (From  {WAITS},  via  {BSD  Unix})  A  program  that 
  displays  information  about  a  particular  user  or  all  users 
  logged  on  the  system,  or  a  remote  system.  Finger  typically 
  shows  full  name  last  login  time,  idle  time,  terminal  line 
  and  terminal  location  (where  applicable).  It  may  also  display 
  a  {plan  file}  left  by  the  user  (see  also  {Hacking  X  for  Y}). 
  Some  versions  take  a  "-l"  (long)  argument  which  yeilds  more 
  information. 
 
  2.  Any  picture  (composed  of  {ASCII  art})  depicting  "the 
  finger".  Originally  a  humorous  component  of  one's  {plan 
  file}  to  deter  the  curious  fingerer,  it  has  entered  the 
  arsenal  of  some  {flamer}s. 
 
  [{Jargon  File}] 
 
  (1995-12-14) 
 
 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z