Definition of 'feel'
Word forms: 3rd person singular present tense feels
, present participle feeling
, past tense, past participle felt
2. link verb [no cont]
If you talk about how an experience or event feels, you talk about the emotions and sensations connected with it.
3. link verb [no cont]
If you talk about how an object feels, you talk about the physical quality that you notice when you touch or hold it. For example, if something feels soft, you notice that it is soft when you touch it.
4. link verb [no cont]
5. verb
7. verb
If you feel something happening, you become aware of it because of the effect it has on your body.
8. verb
If you feel yourself doing something or being in a particular state, you are aware that something is happening
to you which you are unable to control.
If at any point you feel yourself becoming tense, make a conscious effort to relax. [V pron-refl v-ing]
[Also V n v-ing] 9. verb [no cont]
10. verb [no cont]
If you feel that something is the case, you have a strong idea in your mind that it is the case.
12. verb [no cont]
13. verb
15. singular noun
The feel of something, for example a place, is the general impression that it gives you.
See get the feel of
18. feel free
Phrasal verbs:
See feel for
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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Word Frequency
feel in British English
verbWord forms: feels, feeling, felt (fɛlt
)
6.
7. (intransitive; foll by for)
to show sympathy or compassion (towards)
I feel for you in your sorrow
10. See feel like
11. See feel oneself
12. See feel up to
noun
13.
the act or an instance of feeling, esp by touching
14.
the quality of or an impression from something perceived through feeling
the house has a homely feel about it
15.
the sense of touch
the fabric is rough to the feel
17. See the feels
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
Old English fēlan; related to Old High German fuolen, Old Norse fālma to grope, Latin palma palm1Word Frequency
feel in American English
verb transitiveWord forms: felt or ˈfeeling
2.
to perceive or be aware of through physical sensation
to feel rain on the face
3.
a.
to experience (an emotion or condition)
to feel joy, pain, etc.
verb intransitive
6.
to have physical sensation; be sentient
7.
to appear to be to the senses, esp. to the sense of touch
the water feels warm
8.
to have the indicated emotional effect
it feels good to be wanted
10.
to be or be aware of being
to feel sad, sick, certain, etc.
11.
to be moved to sympathy, pity, etc. (for)
noun
12.
the act of feeling; perception by the senses
13.
the sense of touch
14.
the nature of a thing as perceived through touch
the feel of wet sawdust
15.
an emotional sensation or effect
the feel of happiness
Idioms:
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
ME felen < OE felan, akin to Ger fühlen & L palpare, to stroke < ? IE base *pel-, to fly, flutter, cause to tremble > OE fīfealde, Ger falter, butterfly
Word Frequency
feel in American English
(fil) (verb felt, feeling)
transitive verb
1.
to perceive or examine by touch
2.
to feel a toothache
3.
to find or pursue (one's way) by touching, groping, or cautious moves
4.
to be or become conscious of
5.
to be emotionally affected by
to feel one's disgrace keenly
6.
to experience the effects of
The whole region felt the storm
7. (often used reflexively and usually fol. by an adjunct or complement)
to have a particular sensation or impression of
to feel oneself slighted
intransitive verb
9.
to have perception by touch or by any nerves of sensation other than those of sight, hearing, taste, and smell
10.
to make examination by touch; grope
11.
to perceive a state of mind or a condition of body
to feel happy
to feel well
12.
to have a sensation of being
to feel warm
14. See feel for
15. See feel like
16. See feel like oneself
17. See feel no pain
18. See feel out
19. See feel up
20. See feel up to
noun
21.
a quality of an object that is perceived by feeling or touching
the soft feel of cotton
22.
a sensation of something felt; a vague mental impression or feeling
a feel of winter
a feel of sadness in the air
23.
the sense of touch
soft to the feel
26. slang, vulgar
an act or instance of feeling up
27. See cop a feel
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[bef. 900; ME felen, OE fēlan; c. OS fōlian, G fühlen; akin to ON falma to grope. See fumble]Examples of 'feel' in a sentence
feel
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In other languages
feel
British English: feel
/fiːl/ VERB
have a particular feeling The way you feel, for example happy or sad, or cold or tired, is how you are at the time.
I feel very upset.
- American English: feel /ˈfil/
- Arabic: يَشْعُرُ
- Brazilian Portuguese: sentir
- Chinese: 感觉
- Croatian: osjećati se
- Czech: cítit (se)
- Danish: føle
- Dutch: voelen
- European Spanish: sentir
- Finnish: tuntea
- French: se sentir sensation
- German: fühlen
- Greek: νιώθω
- Italian: sentire
- Japanese: 感じる
- Korean: 느끼다
- Norwegian: føle
- Polish: poczuć
- European Portuguese: sentir
- Romanian: a simți
- Russian: чувствовать
- Latin American Spanish: sentir
- Swedish: känna
- Thai: รู้สึก
- Turkish: hissetmek
- Ukrainian: почуватися
- Vietnamese: cảm thấy
British English: feel
/fiːl/ VERB
touch If you feel something, you touch it with your hand to see what it is like.
Feel how soft these feathers are.
- American English: feel /ˈfil/
- Arabic: يَتَحَسَّسُ
- Brazilian Portuguese: sentir
- Chinese: 触摸
- Croatian: dotaknuti
- Czech: osahat
- Danish: føle
- Dutch: voelen
- European Spanish: palpar
- Finnish: tunnustella
- French: tâter sentir
- German: fühlen
- Greek: αισθάνομαι
- Italian: sentire
- Japanese: ・・・を感じる
- Korean: 느끼다
- Norwegian: føle
- Polish: czuć
- European Portuguese: sentir
- Romanian: a pipăi
- Russian: ощупать
- Latin American Spanish: sentir con el tacto
- Swedish: känna
- Thai: สัมผัส
- Turkish: hissetmek
- Ukrainian: відчувати
- Vietnamese: cảm giác
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