FEEL, v.t. pret. and pp. felt. [L. palpo. the primary sense is to touch, to pat, to strike gently, or to press, as is evident from the L. palpito, and other derivatives of palp. If so, the word seems to be allied to L. pello.]

The sense of feeling, or the perception caused by the touch. The difference of tumors may be ascertained by the feel. Argillaccous stones may sometimes be known by the feel. [In America, feeling is more generally used; but the use of feel is not uncommon.]

1. To have perception by the touch, or by the contact of any substance with the body.
2. To have the sensibility or the passions moved or excited. The good man feels for the woes of others. Man, who feels for all mankind. Pope.
3. To give perception; to excite sensation. Blind men say black feels rough, and white feels smooth. Dryden. So we say, a thing feels soft or hard, or it feels hot or cold.
4. To have perception mentally; as, to feel hurt; to feel grieved; to feel unwilling.

1. To perceive by the touch; to have sensation excited by contact of a thing with the body or limbs. Suffer me that I may feel the pillars. Judges xvi. Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son. Gen. xxvii.
2. To have the sense of; to suffer or enjoy; as, to feet pain; to feel pleasure.
3. To experience, to suffer. Whoso keepeth the commandments shall feel no evil thing. Eccles. viii.
4. To be affected by; to perceive mentally; as, to feel grief or woe. Would I had never trod this English earth, / Or felt the flatteries that grow upon it. Shak.
5. To know; to be acquainted with; to have a real and just view of. For then, and not till then, he felt himself. Shak.
6. To touch; to handle; with or without of. Feel this piece of silk, or feel of it. To feel, or to feel out, is to try; to sound; to search for; to explore; as, to feel or feel out one's opinions or designs. To feel after, to search for; to seek to find; to seek as a person groping in the dark. If haply they might feel after him, and find him. Acts xvii.

1. To perceive by the touch; to take cognizance of by means of the nerves of sensation distributed all over the body, especially by those of the skin; to have sensation excited by contact of (a thing) with the body or limbs.
   
   

   Who feel
   Those rods of scorpions and those whips of steel. Creecn.

2. To have perception by the touch, or by contact of anything with the nerves of sensation, especially those upon the surface of the body.
3. Feeling; perception.
   
   
   [R.]

   To intercept and have a more kindly feel of its genial warmth. Hazlitt.

4. To touch; to handle; to examine by touching; as, feel this piece of silk;
   
   
   hen
5. To have the sensibilities moved or affected.
   
   

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

   And mine as man, who feel for all mankind. Pope.

6. A sensation communicated by touching; impression made upon one who touches or handles; as, this leather has a greasy feel.
   
   

   The difference between these two tumors will be distinguished by the feel. S. Sharp.

7. To perceive by the mind; to have a sense of; to experience; to be affected by; to be sensible of, or sensitive to; as, to feel pleasure; to feel pain.
   
   

   Teach me to feel another's woe. Pope.

   Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing. Eccl. viii. 5.

   He best can paint them who shall feel them most. Pope.

   Mankind have felt their strength and made it felt. Byron.

8. To be conscious of an inward impression, state of mind, persuasion, physical condition, etc.; to perceive one's self to be; -- followed by an adjective describing the state, etc.; as, to feel assured, grieved, persuaded.
   
   

   I then did feel full sick. Shak.

9. To take internal cognizance of; to be conscious of; to have an inward persuasion of.
   
   

   For then, and not till then, he felt himself. Shak.

10. To know with feeling; to be conscious; hence, to know certainly or without misgiving.
    
    

    Garlands . . . which I feel
    I am not worthy yet to wear. Shak.

11. To perceive; to observe.
    
    
    [Obs.] Chaucer.

    To feel the helm (Naut.), to obey it.

12. To appear to the touch; to give a perception; to produce an impression by the nerves of sensation; -- followed by an adjective describing the kind of sensation.
    
    

    Blind men say black feels rough, and white feels smooth. Dryden.

    To feel after, to search for; to seek to find; to seek as a person groping in the dark. "If haply they might feel after him, and find him." Acts xvii. 27.

    -- To feel of, to examine by touching.