[f. TOUCH v. + -ING1.] The action of the verb TOUCH.
1. The action, or an act, of feeling something with the hand, etc.; the fact or state of being contiguous; touch, contact; a touch; spec. for the ‘king’s evil’ (quot. 1704).
c. 1290. St. Lucy, 33, in S. Eng. Leg., I. 102. Þoruȝ touchingue of seinte Agace toumbe þouȝ schalt beo hol a-non.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1906), 58. Leude touchinge and handelyng sterithe and chafithe the flesshe.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., IV. xix. (1634), 723. Some he healed with touchings, other some with his word.
a. 1657. Sir W. Mure, Misc. Poems, xi. 6. Hands, forbeare to tuich Oght ȝor tuiching can bewitch!
1704. Lond. Gaz., No. 4020/4. Her Majesty thinking it necessary to discontinue Touching for this Season.
1842. Tennyson, Locksley Hall, 38. Our spirits rush’d together at the touching of the lips.
b. The sense of touch. Obs.
c. 1460. Wisdom, 1105, in Macro Plays, 72. By towchynge, I felte peyne smerte.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, ix. 12. My wittis fyve,—In hering, seing, gusting, twiching, and smelling.
1656. Stanley, Hist. Philos., V. (1701), 189/1. The sense of Touching.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), II. 179. The closer senses, if I may so call them, such as smelling, tasting, and touching, are … as simple as they are limited.
c. In various spec. senses: see the verb.
1671. Milton, P. R., II. 370. No interdict Defends the touching of these viands pure.
1705. Derham, in Phil. Trans., XXV. 2143. This way of Touching [with a magnet].
1833. T. Hook, Parson’s Dau., III. xii. The only difference between the passages is the frequency of touching in the one case.
1908. H. B. Morse, Trade Chinese Emp., 148. A lot of sixty [silver ingots] of which I saw the weighing and touching.
d. In reference to painting, or artistic or other work; also with up: see TOUCH v. 10, 34 a.
1781. Sir J. Reynolds, Journ. Flanders, etc. Wks. 1797, II. 87. [Tenier’s] manner of touching, or what we call handling, has perhaps never been equalled.
1825. J. Nicholson, Operat. Mechanic, 465. The several touchings and retouchings requisite.
1902. Athenæum, 26 April, 538/3. The touchings-up of the Gavotte were in the worst possible taste.
e. slang. Getting hold of money, as by theft, or pocket-picking; also bribery (? obs.): see TOUCH v. 15, 16.
1726. C. D’Anvers, Craftsman, No. 32. (ed. 3), 299. If once he gives himself up to touching … I give him over as incurable.
1896. A. Morrison, Child of the Jago, 231. It would never do to go home without touching.
2. In various fig. senses: Mention, treatment or discussion; affecting or injuring; † charging, accusation, etc.
a. 1440. Hylton, Scala Perf. (W. de W., 1494), I. ii. Made bi the presence and the touchyng of a good angell.
1410. in Proc. Privy Council (1834), I. 326. And yf by that mocioun and touchyngge the forseide Emonde may fele the forseide Duc be ther of righte desirous.
1590. Sir J. Smyth, Disc. Weapons, Ded. 13. Is no other but a blaspheming and offending of God in the highest degree, a touching of the honour of the Princes.
a. 1625. Sir H. Finch, Law (1636), 185. The touching of him with some hainous crime.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 34, ¶ 6. To commend my Prudence in not touching upon the Army.
† 3. Building. (pl.) Projections from the foundations of a building, from which those of the adjoining building are begun. Obs.
1663. Gerbier, Counsel, 50. To cause the foundation of the intended building to be generally laid, without leaving any toutchings.
4. attrib., as touching-distance; touching-stuff, in engraving, a composition of cork ashes, ivory-black, gall, and treacle, used for touching up the dark parts of a plate (Cent. Dict.).
1884. J. Tait, Mind in Matter (1892), 314. ‘Criticism’ has never reached nearer than touching-distance to the extreme outworks of divine truth.
