From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Finger \Fin"ger\ (f[i^][ng]"g[~e]r), n. [AS. finger; akin to D.
vinger, OS. & OHG. fingar, G. finger, Icel. fingr, Sw. & Dan.
finger, Goth. figgrs; of unknown origin; perh. akin to E.
fang.]
1. One of the five terminating members of the hand; a digit;
esp., one of the four extremities of the hand, other than
the thumb.
[1913 Webster]
2. Anything that does the work of a finger; as, the pointer
of a clock, watch, or other registering machine;
especially (Mech.) a small projecting rod, wire, or piece,
which is brought into contact with an object to effect,
direct, or restrain a motion.
[1913 Webster]
3. The breadth of a finger, or the fourth part of the hand; a
measure of nearly an inch; also, the length of finger, a
measure in domestic use in the United States, of about
four and a half inches or one eighth of a yard.
[1913 Webster]
A piece of steel three fingers thick. --Bp. Wilkins.
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4. Skill in the use of the fingers, as in playing upon a
musical instrument. [R.]
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She has a good finger. --Busby.
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{Ear finger}, the little finger.
{Finger alphabet}. See {Dactylology}.
{Finger bar}, the horizontal bar, carrying slotted spikes, or
fingers, through which the vibratory knives of mowing and
reaping machines play.
{Finger board} (Mus.), the part of a stringed instrument
against which the fingers press the strings to vary the
tone; the keyboard of a piano, organ, etc.; manual.
{Finger bowl} {Finger glass}, a bowl or glass to hold water
for rinsing the fingers at table.
{Finger flower} (Bot.), the foxglove.
{Finger grass} (Bot.), a kind of grass ({Panicum sanguinale})
with slender radiating spikes; common crab grass. See
{Crab grass}, under {Crab}.
{Finger nut}, a fly nut or thumb nut.
{Finger plate}, a strip of metal, glass, etc., to protect a
painted or polished door from finger marks.
{Finger post}, a guide post bearing an index finger.
{Finger reading}, reading printed in relief so as to be
sensible to the touch; -- so made for the blind.
{Finger shell} (Zool.), a marine shell ({Pholas dactylus})
resembling a finger in form.
{Finger sponge} (Zool.), a sponge having finger-shaped lobes,
or branches.
{Finger stall}, a cover or shield for a finger.
{Finger steel}, a steel instrument for whetting a currier's
knife.
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{To burn one's fingers}. See under {Burn}.
{To have a finger in}, to be concerned in. [Colloq.]
{To have at one's fingers' ends}, to be thoroughly familiar
with. [Colloq.]
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
finger alphabet
n 1: an alphabet used by the deaf; letters are represented by
finger positions [syn: {manual alphabet}, {finger
alphabet}]
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