Touching and Holding: English Vocabulary List

to apply pressure to a surface with back and forth or circular motions

"Rub the lotion on your skin."

"Rub the lotion gently into your skin until it is completely absorbed to keep your hands soft and moisturized."

to lightly touch or stroke a sensitive part of the body, causing a tingling or laughing sensation

"Tickle the baby to make him laugh."

"The soft feathers tickled his nose and made him sneeze loudly several times in a row."

to touch in a gentle and loving way

"She caressed the cat's soft fur."

"The mother gently caressed her baby's cheek while singing a soft lullaby to help him fall asleep."

to press or rub a part of a person's body, typically with the hands, to make them feel refreshed

"He will massage his sore shoulders."

"The physical therapist will massage your sore muscles to relieve tension and improve blood circulation in the affected area."

to have in your hands or arms

"Hold my hand tightly."

"Please hold the door open for me as I have my hands full with groceries."

to take someone or something suddenly or violently

"Grab that book quickly."

"She quickly grabbed her umbrella as she heard the first drops of rain begin to fall."

to push a thing tightly against something else

"Press the button hard."

"You need to press the correct sequence of buttons to unlock the security system."

to force liquid out of something by firmly twisting or pressing it

"Squeeze the lemon for juice."

"She had to squeeze the lemon firmly to extract all of the juice for the lemonade recipe."

to use your hands to move something or someone toward yourself or in the direction that your hands are moving

"Pull the door to close it."

"You need to pull the handle toward you rather than pushing it away to open the heavy door."

to pick something up and hold with one's hands

"Please handle the glass."

"The museum curator carefully handled the delicate artifact, ensuring its preservation for future generations."

to make a surface free from roughness

"Smooth the icing on the cake."

"Use a spatula to smooth the icing evenly over the surface of the cake for a professional looking finish."