Skip to content
ontologydriven
Sign out

Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

feel out en · VERB

Meanings

  1. (idiomatic) To attempt to ascertain a person's point of view, or the nature of a situation, by cautious and subtle means.
    • I feel out strangers that come in to make sure they know they're in a gay place and won't cause any trouble. 1976 February 7, Rose Flower, quoting Jimmy McGrath, “Playland: The Friendliest Place In Town”, in Gay Community News, volume 3, number 32, page 13:
    • I think we should feel out your mom's thoughts about this before we decide anything.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
feeling out Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
feels out Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
felt out Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
felt out Tense=Past lexicographic

Relateds

question · query · put out feelers

Synonyms

check out (try to ascertain a point of view or the nature of something) · sound out (try to ascertain a point of view or the nature of something)

Translations (4)

es semblantear (to try to ascertain a point of view or the nature of something) · es tantear (to try to ascertain a point of view or the nature of something) · is fara á fjörurnar við (to try to ascertain a point of view or the nature of something) · is leita hófanna hjá (to try to ascertain a point of view or the nature of something)