• IPA: /fiːl/, [fiːɫ]

feel (feels, present participle feeling; past and past participle felt)

1. (heading) To use the sense of touch.
   1. (transitive, copulative) To become aware of through the skin; to use the sense of touch on.

      You can feel a heartbeat if you put your fingers on your breast.

      I felt cold and miserable all night.

   2. (transitive) To find one's way (literally or figuratively) by touching or using cautious movements.

      I felt my way through the darkened room.

      I felt my way cautiously through the dangerous business maneuver.

   3. (intransitive) To receive information by touch or by any neurons other than those responsible for sight, smell, taste, or hearing.
   4. (intransitive) To search by sense of touch.

      He felt for the light switch in the dark.

2. (heading) To sense or think emotionally or judgmentally.
   1. (transitive) To experience an emotion or other mental state about.

      I can feel the sadness in his poems.

      • 1738, Alexander Pope, The Universal Prayer:

        Teach me to feel another's woe.

      • 1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, OCLC 639762314 ↗, page 0105 ↗:

        Captain Edward Carlisle, soldier as he was, martinet as he was, felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze, her alluring smile ; he could not tell what this prisoner might do.

   2. (transitive) To think, believe, or have an impression concerning.

      I feel that we need to try harder.

      • 1613, William Shakespeare; [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act IV, scene ii]:

        They promised me eternal happiness; And brought me garlands, Griffith, which I feel I am not worthy yet to wear.

   3. (intransitive, copulative) To experience an emotion or other mental state.

      He obviously feels strongly about it.

      She felt even more upset when she heard the details.

   4. (intransitive) To sympathise; to have the sensibilities moved or affected.

      I feel for you and your plight.

      • [She] feels with the dignity of a Roman matron.

      • 1738, Alexander Pope, Epilogue to the Satires

        who feel for all mankind

3. (transitive) To be or become aware of.
4. (transitive) To experience the consequences of.

   Feel my wrath!

5. (copulative) To seem (through touch or otherwise).

   It looks like wood, but it feels more like plastic.

   This is supposed to be a party, but it feels more like a funeral!

6. (transitive, US, slang) To understand.

   I don't want you back here, ya feel me?

• French: palper, toucher
• German: fühlen, spüren
• Italian: sentire
• Portuguese: apalpar, tocar, sentir
• Russian: чу́вствовать
• Spanish: sentir, tocar

• French: sentir
• German: fühlen, spüren
• Italian: sentire
• Portuguese: sentir (with noun), sentir-se (with adjective)
• Russian: чу́вствовать
• Spanish: sentir

• French: sentir, penser
• German: fühlen, denken, das Gefühl haben
• Portuguese: pensar/crer/achar que
• Russian: чу́вствовать
• Spanish: sentir, creer

• German: tasten
• Portuguese: palpar, tatear
• Russian: щу́пать

• French: se sentir
• German: sich fühlen
• Portuguese: sentir
• Russian: чу́вствовать
• Spanish: sentirse

• French: sembler
• German: anfühlen
• Portuguese: parecer
• Spanish: parecer

• German: verstehen
• Russian: сочу́вствовать
• Spanish: sentirlo, compadecer

feel (plural feels)

1. A quality of an object experienced by touch.

   Bark has a rough feel.

2. A vague mental impression.

   You should get a feel of the area before moving in.

3. An act of fondling.

   She gave me a quick feel to show that she loves me.

4. A vague understanding.

   I'm getting a feel for what you mean.

5. An intuitive ability.

   She has a feel for music.

6. (chiefly, US, slang) Alternative form of feeling.

   I know that feel.

• German: expressed verbally with anfühlen; (formal, specialist) Oberflächenbeschaffenheit, Haptik
• Portuguese: tato
• Spanish: tacto

• German: Gefühl, Eindruck, Gespür
• Spanish: aspecto

• Spanish: caricia

• French: sensibilité
• Spanish: idea

• Spanish: talento

1. (dialectal or obsolete) Alternative form of fele

feel (not comparable)

1. (dialectal or obsolete) Alternative form of fele

feel (not comparable)

1. (dialectal or obsolete) Alternative form of fele