ppl. a. Also 7–8 toucht. [f. TOUCH v. + -ED1.] In various senses corresponding to those of TOUCH v.
In quot. a. 1625, tried, proved (sense 8); in quot. 1667, magnetized (sense 6 c); in quot. 1660 absol. from sense 2 b.
Touched gold, the touch-piece given by the sovereign when he touched for the ‘king’s evil,’ supposed to retain a healing virtue. Touched proof, a ‘proof’ from an engraved or etched plate approaching completion, submitted to the artist of the picture copied, for his approval or criticism.
a. 1440. Hylton, Scala Perf. (W. de W., 1494), II. ii. It was impossyble goddis sone to be borne of towchyd woman.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia (1622), 461. To repay the touched honour of her house.
a. 1625. Fletcher, Women Pleased, II. i. Ye shall be sure I am a touch’d friend.
1660. Evelyn, Diary, 6 July. The other Chaplaine…, having Angel gold strung on white ribbon on his arme, delivers them one by one to his Majestie, who puts them about the necks of the touched as they passe.
1667. H. Oldenburg, in Phil. Trans., II. 423. Whether touched Needles move otherwise, when the Veins of Iron do not lie North and South.
1715. E. Betts, 1 March, in The Betts of Wortham, xvi. (1912), 167. My mother lent Coz Mary Betts ye piece of toucht gold with ye Britaine and this motto [etc.].
1861. Thornbury, Turner, I. 408. Turner was always quarrelling with the engravers about his touched proofs. He wanted every proof on which he had written directions to be returned.
b. With adv., as touched-up: see TOUCH v. 34.
1875. trans. Vogel’s Chem. Light, vi. 48. A single touched-up negative gave hundreds of unexceptionable impressions.
Hence Touchedness (in quot., state of being mentally ‘touched,’ slight insanity).
1883. F. W. Robinson, Hands of Justice, II. v. Clambering out of the window in the middle of the night was a striking example of his ‘touchedness.’
