The Collaborative International Dictionary
Touch \Touch\, v. i.
To be in contact; to be in a state of junction, so that no space is between; as, two spheres touch only at points.
--Johnson.-
To fasten; to take effect; to make impression. [R.]
Strong waters pierce metals, and will touch upon gold, that will not touch upon silver.
--Bacon. -
To treat anything in discourse, especially in a slight or casual manner; -- often with on or upon.
If the antiquaries have touched upon it, they immediately quitted it.
--Addison. -
(Naut) To be brought, as a sail, so close to the wind that its weather leech shakes. To touch and go (Naut.), to touch bottom lightly and without damage, as a vessel in motion. To touch at, to come or go to, without tarrying; as, the ship touched at Lisbon. To touch on or To touch upon,
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to come or go to for a short time. [R.]
I made a little voyage round the lake, and touched on the several towns that lie on its coasts.
--Addison. to discuss briefly, as only a small part of a discourse.
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Usage examples of "to touch on".
Again I had no wish to relate some details and knew better than to touch on others.
This spot is perhaps the best place to touch on a few odd topics that do not fit anywhere else in this dissertation.
Now of all that befell my father during his eight years of wandering I cannot speak certainly, for he was very silent on the matter, though I may have need to touch on some of his adventures.
This angelic princess, already occupied with the pious resolution which she afterwards put into execution in the following year, contented herself with saying some words on the commotion occasioned by my presence at Versailles, and then, as if her delicacy had feared to touch on such a subject, she asked the duc de la Vauguyon, if the king ordered her to receive the comtesse du Barry.