Feel | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Feel, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. FELT; p. pr. & vb. n. FEELING.] [A-S. fēlan, gefēlan, O. Sax. gifōlian, O. H. Ger. fuolan, M. H. Ger. fühlen, N. H. Ger. fühlen, D. voelen.]

Sense 1. To perceive by the touch; to take cognizance of by means of the nerves of sensation distributed all over the body, especially by those of the skin; to have sensation excited by contact of the body or limbs.

Who feel

Those rods of scorpions and those whips of steel. Creech.

Come near, . . . that I may feel thee, my son. Gen xxvii. 21.

Sense 2. To touch; to handle; to examine by touching; hence, to make trial of; to test;—often with out.

He hath writ this to feel my affection to your honor. Shak.

Sense 3. To have a sense of; to perceive within one's self; to experience; to be affected by; to be sensible of, or sensitive to.

He best can paint them who can feel them most. Pope.

Mankind have felt their strength and made it felt. Byron.

Sense 4. To take internal cognizance of; to be conscious of; to have an inward persuasion of.

For then, and not till then, he felt himself. Shak.

To the felt absence now I feel a cause. Shak.

To feel after, to search for; to seek to find; to seek as a person groping in the dark. “If haply they might feel after him, and find him.” Acts xvii. 27.—To feel of, to examine by touching.

Feel, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. 1. To have perception by the touch, or by the contact of any substance with the nerves of sensation, especially those upon the surface of the body.

Sense 2. To have the sensibilities moved or affected.

A subject on which I have . . . never reflected without feeling from it. Burke.

Man who feels for all mankind. Pope.

Sense 3. To be sensible of an inward impression, state of mind or humor, persuasion, or the like; to perceive one's self to be; — followed by an adjective describing the inward state, &c.; as, to feel assured, grieved, or persuaded.

I then did feel full sick. Shak.

Sense 4. To know with feeling; hence, to know certainly or without misgiving.

Garlands . . . which I feel I am not worthy yet to bear. Shak.

Sense 5. To appear to the touch; to give a perception; to produce an impression on the nerves of sensation; — followed by an adjective describing the kind of sensation or impression.

Blind men say black feels rough, and white feels smooth. Dryden.

Feel, n.

noun

n. 1. Feeling; perception. [Rare.] To intercept and have a more kindly feel of its genial warmth. Hurlitt. 2. A sensation communicated by touching; impression made upon one who touches or handles; as, a greasy feel. “Membranous or papery . . . as to feel and look.” I. Taylor.