finger

noun

fin·ger | \ ˈfiŋ-gər

Definition of finger

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : any of the five terminating members of the hand : a digit of the forelimb especially : one other than the thumb

2a : something that resembles a finger a narrow finger of land

b : a part of a glove into which a finger is inserted

c : a projecting piece (such as a pawl for a ratchet) brought into contact with an object to affect its motion

3 : the breadth of a finger

4 : interest, share —often used in the phrase have a finger in the pie

5 : bird sense 10 —usually used with the

finger

verb

fingered; fingering\ ˈfiŋ-g(ə-)riŋ

Definition of finger (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to touch or feel with the fingers

2a : to play (a musical instrument) with the fingers

b : to play (notes, chords, etc.) with a specific fingering

c : to mark the notes of (a music score) as a guide in playing

3 : to point out : identify

4 : to extend into or penetrate in the shape of a finger

intransitive verb

1 : to touch or handle something

2a : to use the fingers in playing a musical instrument

b : to have a certain fingering —used of a musical instrument

3 : to extend in the shape or manner of a finger

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Examples of finger in a Sentence

Noun

Don't stick your fingers in the cookie batter! He slipped the ring onto her finger. The baby held onto my thumb with her tiny fingers. She ran her fingers through his hair. He drummed his fingers on the table impatiently. a finger of land extending into the sea She was so mad, she gave him the finger. Some angry driver flipped me the finger on the highway this morning.

Verb

He was fingered as a suspect. thus far authorities haven't been able to finger the person who's been lighting fires around town

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Savage would have been better off pointing the finger within his own circle before coming for black voters. — Ernest Owens, Vox, "What it’s like to be black and gay watching the Kevin Hart controversy unfold.," 7 Jan. 2019 No one should ever point fingers at you for your bravery in speaking about mental health. — Whitney Perry, Glamour, "Pete Davidson's Deleted Instagram, Ariana's Concern, and Kanye's Tweets: Here's What Happened," 16 Dec. 2018 Penelope Blossom Everyone is pointing fingers at Penelope (Tom, Hermione), and for good reason too. — Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, "Who is the Gargoyle King? 6 Theories on the Identity of the Creature Wreaking Havoc on "Riverdale"," 29 Nov. 2018 Cüneyt Çakır unjustly sent off Nani in 2013 against Real Madrid - yep, still remember that one - but despite the cries of bias in Croatia's favour, the ones who are pointing the finger are wrong this time around. — SI.com, "England: Who Is to Blame?," 12 July 2018 Scientists point the finger at the brain chemical adenosine for the endurance-sapping effects of mental fatigue. — Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, "Here’s What We Know About Mental Fatigue," 10 July 2018 So like him to point fingers instead of taking responsibility for his mistakes. — Neil Swidey, BostonGlobe.com, "How Democrats would be better off if Bill Clinton had never been president," 10 July 2018 Britain has not directly pointed the finger at Russia in the case involving Sturgess and Rowley, saying the investigation, led by the Counter Terrorism Policing Network, is ongoing. — William Booth, Anchorage Daily News, "Woman exposed to nerve agent in southern England dies; police launch murder investigation," 9 July 2018 Britain has not directly pointed the finger at Russia in the case involving Sturgess and Rowley, saying the investigation, led by the Counter Terrorism Policing Network, is ongoing. — William Booth, Washington Post, "Woman exposed to nerve agent in southern England dies; police launch murder investigation," 8 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

According to the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, Alban’s friends say state security wanted its prisoner to finger Mr. Borges as the intellectual author of a drone attack against Mr. Maduro at a military parade in August. — Mary Anastasia O’grady, WSJ, "Cuba Holds the Keys to Venezuela," 14 Oct. 2018 Vickery and the cops go to Ashley’s house to find John and bring him in, after someone at the factory fingered him as Anne and Natalie’s murderer. — Cady Drell, Marie Claire, "The 10 Biggest Moments From 'Sharp Objects' Episode 7," 20 Aug. 2018 In the second season of Insecure, Kelli (Natasha Rothwell), one of Issa’s best friends, gets fingered under the table at a diner after the club. — Mariana Viera, Teen Vogue, "10 Body Positive Shows to Watch," 5 Sep. 2018 So not technically fingering, but there was definitely fluid exchange. — Karley Sciortino, Vogue, "Why I Choose to Pursue the Pervier Side of Life," 12 July 2018 The fence wriggled around it, fingering the hole like a wound. — Andrew Liptak, The Verge, "A transgender girl rises up against alien invaders in Rich Larson’s novel Annex," 8 July 2018 Ever since bitcoin’s anonymous creation, numerous people have come forward claiming to be Nakamoto; online conspiracy theories and journalistic investigations have fingered one Satoshi after another. — Garrett M. Graff, WIRED, "Did Satoshi Nakamoto Write This Book Excerpt? A Wired Investigation," 1 July 2018 Orbán has fingered Soros (who is also a favorite villain of the American right) as the source of an international plot to destroy Hungary through migration. — Zack Beauchamp, Vox, "Hungary just passed a “Stop Soros” law that makes it illegal to help undocumented migrants," 22 June 2018 But when Miss Nightingale discovers that the boy is a furtive thief, light-fingered and deft, making away each week with another small treasure, the whole of her history, and its loyalties and loves, flies apart. — Cynthia Ozick, New York Times, "One Last Book From a Virtuoso of the Short Story," 14 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'finger.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.