Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
3,900,032,919 visitors served.
forum Join the Word of the Day Mailing List For webmasters
?
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

put finger on

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Encyclopedia 0.01 sec.
put one's finger on something 
1. Lit. to touch something with one's finger. I put my finger on the button and pressed. Put your finger on this spot and push hard.
2. Fig. to identify and state the essence of something. That is correct! You have certainly put your finger on the problem. When she mentioned money, she really put her finger on the problem.
See also: finger, put

put your finger on something
to discover the exact reason why a situation is the way it is, especially when something is wrong (often negative) I know there's something wrong, but I can't put my finger on exactly what it is. I think you've just put your finger on the biggest problem facing the Conservative party in this election.
See lay a finger on, lift a finger, point the finger at
See also: finger, put

put your finger on something
to know the reason for something, esp. something that is a problem There's something wrong with his story, but I can't put my finger on what it is.
See also: finger, put


Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Feedback
Idioms browser?   Full browser?
 
 
Idioms and phrases
?

Terms of Use | Privacy policy | Feedback | Advertise with Us | Copyright © 2012 Farlex, Inc.
Disclaimer
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.