From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishfeelfeel1 /fiːl/ ●●● S1 W1 verb (past tense and past participle felt /felt/) 1 feeling/emotion [linking verb, transitive]FEEL HAPPY/FRIGHTENED/BORED ETC to experience a particular physical feeling or emotion Do you still feel hungry? You can never tell what he’s feeling. Stop exercising if you feel any pain.feel fine/good/comfortable etc I’m feeling a little better today. Marie immediately felt guilty.feel as if/as though When his dad left, he felt as though his world had turned upside-down. I felt like I’d really achieved something.2 notice [transitive not in progressive]NOTICE to notice something that is happening to you, especially something that is touching you She felt his warm breath on her cheek. The earthquake was felt as far south as San Diego.feel somebody/something do something She felt his arms go round her.feel yourself doing something I felt myself blushing.3 feel smooth/dry etc [linking verb]FEEL HOT/COLD/TIRED ETC to give you a particular physical feeling, especially when you touch or hold somethingfeel smooth/cold/damp etc Her hands felt rough. The house felt hot and stuffy.feel as if/as though My leg feels as if it’s broken. It’s nice fabric – it feels like velvet.4 feel good/strange/exciting etcFEEL HAPPY/FRIGHTENED/BORED ETC [linking verb] if a situation, event etc feels good, strange etc, that is the emotion or feeling that it gives you After twenty years, seeing him again felt very strange.feel ... to be/do something It felt wonderful to be wearing clean clothes again. How does it feel to be 40? It’s been a year since her daughter died, but to her, it still feels like yesterday.5 have an opinion [transitive]THINK/HAVE THE OPINION THAT to have a particular opinion, especially one that is based on your feelings, not on factsfeel (that) Some of the parents felt the school wasn’t doing enough about bullying.feel about How would you feel about working with Nicole for a while? What does your partner feel about all this?feel sure/certain (=think that something is definitely true) She felt sure she’d made the right decision.► see thesaurus at thinkGrammarUsing the progressiveFeel is not usually used in the progressive in this meaning. You say: I feel this is probably the right decision. ✗Don’t say: I’m feeling this is probably the right decision.Using the passiveIn more formal English, you say it is felt that when saying what many people think: It was felt that the experiment should be stopped. 6 → feel like (doing) something7 touch [transitive]TOUCH to touch something with your fingers to find out about it She felt his forehead. Perhaps he had a temperature. Mum, feel this stone. Isn’t it smooth?feel how hard/soft/rough etc something is He could feel how damp his shirt was against his chest.► see thesaurus at touch8 → feel around/on/in etc something (for something)9 → feel the force/effects/benefits etc of something10 → feel the need to do something11 → feel your way12 → feel free13 → I know (just/exactly) how you feel14 → not feel yourself15 → feel your age16 → feel the cold/heat17 → feel a death/a loss etcGRAMMAR: Linking verbsFeel is a linking verb. This type of verb links the subject of the sentence with an adjective or noun: She felt tired at the end of the day.I feel such an idiot. → feel for somebody → feel somebody ↔ out → feel somebody ↔ up → feel up to something→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
feel• I felt a definite sense of danger and impending disaster.• The earthquake was felt as far south as Carpenteria.• And the increase in temperature will not be felt evenly.• It felt great to be up in the mountains.• He's feeling guilty for not writing her back.• I don't really feel hungry yet.• This time the other customers do not feel hungry.• I always felt I had the ability to become a reasonable actor.• In a way, his presence will continue to be felt in the department even after he is gone.• It felt kind of weird being back in school.• I felt like if I didn't speak up then, I would never do it.• But the feeling of justice requires that the wrong be righted.• She felt okay last night, but she had a fever this morning.• Liz's parents feel she isn't old enough to leave home.• The clothes still feel slightly damp.• I felt someone was following me, but when I turned around, there was nobody there.• I feel sorry for her.• It is a common experience to feel that an author writes well without being able to say exactly why.• She felt that something else was going to happen and that it wouldn't be good.• I feel that we're just beginning to make progress, and that it would be wrong to stop now.• Doctor Wright felt the baby's stomach, checking that it was not hard.• To be sure, some investors feel the impact of a weaker yen on bonds may be limited.• This Secretary of State does not feel the need to go through such a consultation process.• "The flowers look so real - I can't believe they're silk, " she said, feeling the petals.• Just feel this material - it's so soft!• How does it feel to be home?• I felt very proud of her and read her the letter.• I think people felt we were aiming for this point, but we never had the opportunity to do it before.felt like• Edward felt like a colonial or a schoolboy, and it irked.• The replacement must have felt like an unfamiliar piece of furniture, for he was rapidly bowled.• I told her that both of us, she and I, inside felt like children.• I felt like I had sneaked in.• Mr Stokle says he felt like killing the culprits when he first saw what they'd done to Mrs Leyshon.• Pudding! she felt like screaming.• She felt like throwing it across the room but managed to control herself.feel somebody/something do something• Ann felt him brush against me and turned to face him.feels like• At time it feels like a matter of survival against the elements, keeping your boat upright in a strong breeze.• She feels like a Ping-Pong ball, bouncing between her boss and a woman she considers her friend.• But the whole thing feels like a retread.• It feels like a thoroughbred coupe.• It feels like an underground tunnel down there, the walls thick and heavy, the air damp and cool.• This is a young man's play, and it feels like one.• This feels like some one else's drama.• Her injuries have put her so much on the outside that she barely feels like this is her team.it ... feels like• At time it feels like a matter of survival against the elements, keeping your boat upright in a strong breeze.• It feels like a miracle, because it means I am still alive inside and not dead after all!• It feels like an all-news network should: instant, informed, urgent without being hysterical.• It feels like an underground tunnel down there, the walls thick and heavy, the air damp and cool.• It feels like how being in love should be.• Now I know what it feels like to be a lab rat.• I also know what it feels like to be in danger.• It feels like witnessing a homage to the sun.feel sure/certain• He did not make his pile opening bazaars you feel sure.• The only thing I felt certain about was that the master was in love with her.• People want to feel sure before they make the commitment.• Since my company was uncluttered by revenue, sales or even products I felt sure no one would be interested.• I feel sure that it is a better Bill than when it started.• You feel sure you are in touch with the salient aspects of the situation and that you have an important contribution to make.• I feel sure you can hear and understand me.feelfeel2 ●○○ noun 1 IDEA[singular] a quality that something has that makes you feel or think a particular way about it Despite their age, the photographs have a modern feel.feel about The restaurant has a nice relaxed feel about it.2 TOUCH[singular] the way that something feels when you touch itfeel of I like the feel of this cloth. a soft feathery feel3 → have/get/give a feel for something4 [uncountable] when you use your hands, body etc to feel something SYN touchby feel She found the light switch by feel.Examples from the Corpus
feel• She is a born golfer and one who, like Laura Davies, plays almost entirely by feel.• One of the rooms in Sivitsa's school has a science-fiction feel.• Mostly through o-j-t, trial and error, gut feel, and mistakes.• The heavy feel is produced by the thickened rim.• The keyboard had a mushy feel, which is characteristic of Toshibas.• It has a smooth, soft feel to the skin, is fully breathable, windproof and easy care.• The car has a sporty feel to it.• The seats look good and have a sturdy feel.• The movie has the feel of a big summer hit.• I love the feel of leather.• There was nothing Lucy liked more than the feel of fur against her skin.Origin feel1 Old English felan 