feel

I UK [fiːl] / US [fɪl] verb
Word forms "feel":
present tense I/you/we/they feel he/she/it feels present participle feeling past tense felt UK [felt] / US past participle felt
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1)

a) [linking verb] to be in a particular state as a result of an emotion or a physical feeling

I was feeling quite cheerful when we set out.

Sam felt cold and utterly miserable.

Are you feeling ill?

I don't feel very well.

How do you feel now?

I feel such a fool for believing him.

He never felt at ease with interviewers or photographers.

feel like:

When I came back to England, I felt like a stranger.

feel as if/as though:

I felt as though someone had just punched me in the stomach.

b) [transitive] to experience a particular emotion or physical feeling

feel sadness/happiness/anger/relief etc:

She felt some sadness when the time came to leave.

feel guilt/remorse:

Richard felt no guilt at all for what he had done.

feel the need to do something:

Cara felt the need to talk to someone.

feel (a) pain:

He felt a sudden pain in his chest.

feel the cold/heat:

Children don't seem to feel the cold as much as adults do.

2) [linking verb, not usually progressive] if something feels nice, good, strange etc, it gives you this feeling

It felt strange being on my own again.

It certainly felt good to be back home.

feel like/as if/as though:

The clock said it was only eight o'clock but it felt like midnight.

3)

a) [transitive] to touch something with your hand so that you can discover what it is like

She felt the child's forehead to see if he was feverish.

Feel this scarf – it's incredibly soft!

b) [linking verb, not usually progressive] if something feels soft, hard etc, that is what it is like when you touch it

Your hair feels so soft.

feel like:

The table felt like plastic, not wood.

4)

a) [transitive, not usually progressive] to notice something that is touching you or something that is happening to your body

Can you feel the draught coming from under the door?

I could feel his hot breath on my neck.

feel someone/something do something:

I suddenly felt something brush against my arm.

feel someone/something doing something:

I felt him pulling against me.

feel yourself do/doing something:

Donna felt herself dozing and sat upright.

b) to notice something that you know is there but cannot see, hear, touch, or smell

Sarah could feel the man's presence before she saw him.

feel (that):

I felt I was being watched.

5) [intransitive/transitive, not usually progressive] to have a particular way of thinking about something, especially one that depends on your emotions rather than on facts or evidence

feel (that):

I feel that more should be done to help young people.

feel about:

I don't know how Mary feels about eating meat.

feel strongly about something:

I know that Sally feels quite strongly about this issue.

feel something (to be) something:

We felt it an appropriate gesture in the circumstances.

feel it appropriate/necessary/important etc to do something:

He always felt it necessary to explain his actions.

6) [transitive] to be affected by something

feel the effects/repercussions/benefits etc of something:

People should feel the benefits of the tax cuts by next month.

feel someone's death:

I'm sure we all feel his death very keenly.

7) [intransitive] to try to find something with your hands, especially because you cannot see clearly

feel around/about:

I felt around on the ground but couldn't find the torch.

feel (around/about) for someone/something:

Adam felt in the pocket of his shorts for the key.

•

- feel free

- feel like

- feel your age

- feel your way

- not feel yourself

Phrasal verbs:

- feel for

- feel out

- feel up

- feel up to

See:

bone I, home I

II UK [fiːl] / US [fɪl] noun [singular] *

1) the way that something seems when you touch it or when it touches you

I love the feel of this jacket.

Ben was enjoying the feel of the breeze in his hair.

2) the way that something such as a place generally seems to you

The village has a lovely friendly feel.

3) an act of touching someone or something

•

- get a feel for something

- have a feel for something