lay a finger on en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
From Middle English fynger on (hem) to leyn (“touch (someone) with hostile intent”).
Meanings
-
(colloquial, idiomatic) To merely touch.
If you lay a finger on my little brother, I'll have your guts for garters.
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see lay, a, finger, on: to finger
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| laying a finger on | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| lays a finger on | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| laid a finger on | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| laid a finger on | Tense=Past | lexicographic |