feeler

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feel·er

(fē′lər)

1. Something, such as a hint or question, designed to elicit the attitudes or intentions of others.

2. Zoology A sensory or tactile organ, such as an antenna, tentacle, or barbel.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

feeler

(ˈfiːlə)

1. a person or thing that feels

2. (Zoology) an organ in certain animals, such as an antenna or tentacle, that is sensitive to touch

3. a remark designed to probe the reactions or intentions of other people

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

feel•er

(ˈfi lər)

n.

1. a person or thing that feels.

2. a proposal, remark, hint, etc., designed to bring out the opinions or purposes of others.

3. an organ of touch, as an antenna or a tentacle.

[1520–30]

feel·er

(fē′lər)

A slender body part used for touching or sensing. The antennae of insects and the barbels of catfish are feelers.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	feeler - one of a pair of mobile appendages on the head of e.g. insects and crustaceans; typically sensitive to touch and taste antenna tentacle - any of various elongated tactile or prehensile flexible organs that occur on the head or near the mouth in many animals; used for feeling or grasping or locomotion
	2.	feeler - a tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others; "she rejected his advances" advance, overture, approach proffer, proposition, suggestion - a proposal offered for acceptance or rejection; "it was a suggestion we couldn't refuse"
	3.	feeler - sensitivity similar to that of a receptor organ; "he had a special antenna for public relations" antenna sensitiveness, sensitivity - the ability to respond to affective changes in your interpersonal environment
	4.	feeler - slender tactile process on the jaws of a fish barbel tentacle - any of various elongated tactile or prehensile flexible organs that occur on the head or near the mouth in many animals; used for feeling or grasping or locomotion

feeler

put out feelers make an approach to, probe, test the water, make overtures, make a trial, launch a trial balloon When vacancies occur, the office puts out feelers to the universities.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

feeler

noun

Something, as a remark, used to determine the attitude of another:

probe.

Idiom: trial balloon.

Translations

لامِس، مِجَس

tykadlo

følehornfølerføletrådprøveballonantenne

Fühler Antenne

tuntosarvi

antenne

csáptapogató

fálmari

antenna

anten duyarga

触角触须

feeler

[ˈfiːləʳ] N

1. (Zool) [of insect, snail] → antena f

2. (fig) → sondeo m
to put out feelers → hacer un sondeo

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

feeler

[ˈfiːlə^r] n

[insect] → antenne f

(fig) to put out feelers → tâter le terrain
to put out feelers to sb (= contact) → tâter le terrain auprès de qnfeel-good feelgood [ˈfiːlgʊd] adj [film, romance] → qui réchauffe le cœur feel-good factorfeel-good factor n → optimisme m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

feeler

(Zool) → Fühler m; (of sea animal) → Tentakel m or nt

(fig) → Fühler m; to put out feelers → seine Fühler ausstrecken

feelers pl (also feeler gauge) → Fühl(er)lehre f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

feeler

[ˈfiːləʳ] n (of insect, snail) → antenna; (of octopus) → tentacolo
to put out feelers (fig) → tastare il terreno

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

feel

(fiːl) – past tense, past participle felt (felt) – verb

1. to become aware of (something) by the sense of touch. She felt his hand on her shoulder.

2. to find out the shape, size, texture etc of something by touching, usually with the hands. She felt the parcel carefully.

3. to experience or be aware of (an emotion, sensation etc). He felt a sudden anger.

4. to think (oneself) to be. She feels sick; How does she feel about her work?

5. to believe or consider. She feels that the firm treated her badly.

ˈfeeler noun

(in certain animals, insects etc) an organ for touching, especially one of the two thread-like parts on an insect's head.

ˈfeeling noun

1. power and ability to feel. I have no feeling in my little finger.

2. something that one feels physically. a feeling of great pain.

3. (usually in plural) something that one feels in one's mind. His angry words hurt my feelings; a feeling of happiness.

4. an impression or belief. I have a feeling that the work is too hard.

5. affection. He has no feeling for her now.

6. emotion. He spoke with great feeling.

feel as if / as though

to have the sensation (physical or mental) or feeling that. I feel as if I am going to be sick; She feels as though she has known him for years.

feel like

1. to have the feelings that one would have if one were. I feel like a princess in this beautiful dress; He felt like an idiot (= He felt very foolish).

2. to feel that one would like to (have, do etc). I feel like a drink; Do you feel like going to the cinema?

feel one's way

to find one's way by feeling. I had to feel my way to the door in the dark.

get the feel of

to become accustomed to. to get the feel of a new job.

References in classic literature ?

Otherwise the angles might inflict on the unwary Feeler irreparable injury.

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Modern life stretched out its steam feeler to this point three or four times a day, touched the native existences, and quickly withdrew its feeler again, as if what it touched had been uncongenial.

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Holding a microscope to the first-mentioned red ant, I saw that, though he was assiduously gnawing at the near fore leg of his enemy, having severed his remaining feeler, his own breast was all torn away, exposing what vitals he had there to the jaws of the black warrior, whose breastplate was apparently too thick for him to pierce; and the dark carbuncles of the sufferer's eyes shone with ferocity such as war only could excite.

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By and by Joe timidly ventured upon a roundabout "feeler" as to how the others might look upon a return to civilization -- not right now, but --

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Its arms were fully as slender as its legs, and upon a rather long neck was perched its head -- not unlike the head of a man, except that its nose ended in a curling antenna, or "feeler," and its ears from the upper points bore antennae that decorated the sides of its head like two miniature, curling pig tails.

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People had not been after them, inasmuch as they had not heard of them; and Cumnor's fruitless feeler would have been a solitary accident.

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"No, I'm not married!" replied the prince, smiling at the ingenuousness of this little feeler.

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My heart bled for you beneath your burden." The Wax-moth caressed Melissa with her soft feelers and laid another egg.

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From somewhere or other, the amazing sense which sometimes gives warning of danger to men of adventure, seemed to have opened its feelers. He rested because he was exhausted, but even in his sleep he was ill at ease.

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They always throw out a few feelers; they never cast themselves adrift till they have sounded every individual and know that he has not traveled.

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I made it like those Beth invented, a big butterfly with a fat body, and black and yellow wings, worsted feelers, and bead eyes.

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They had also eight legs and two feelers -- persistent creatures who are called crabs.