Fin″ger (fĭṉ″gẽr), n. [AS. finger; akin to D. vinger, OS. & OHG. fingar, G. finger, Icel. fingr, Sw. & Dan. finger, Goth. figgrs; of unknown origin; perh. akin to E. fang.] 1. One of the five terminating members of the hand; a digit; esp., one of the four extremities of the hand, other than the thumb.
2. Anything that does the work of a finger; as, the pointer of a clock, watch, or other registering machine; especially (Mech.) a small projecting rod, wire, or piece, which is brought into contact with an object to effect, direct, or restrain a motion.
3. The breadth of a finger, or the fourth part of the hand; a measure of nearly an inch; also, the length of finger, a measure in domestic use in the United States, of about four and a half inches or one eighth of a yard.
A piece of steel three fingers thick. Bp. Wilkins.
4. Skill in the use of the fingers, as in playing upon a musical instrument.
She has a good finger. Busby.
Ear finger, the little finger. — Finger alphabet. See Dactylology. — Finger bar, the horizontal bar, carrying slotted spikes, or fingers, through which the vibratory knives of mowing and reaping machines play. — Finger board(Mus.), the part of a stringed instrument against which the fingers press the strings to vary the tone; the keyboard of a piano, organ, etc.; manual. — Fingerbowl or glass, a bowl or glass to hold water for rinsing the fingers at table. — Finger flower(Bot.), the foxglove. — Finger grass(Bot.), a kind of grass (Panicum sanguinale) with slender radiating spikes; common crab grass. See Crab grass, under Crab. — Finger nut, a fly nut or thumb nut. — Finger plate, a strip of metal, glass, etc., to protect a painted or polished door from finger marks. — Finger post, a guide post bearing an index finger. — Finger reading, reading printed in relief so as to be sensible to the touch; — so made for the blind. — Finger shell(Zoöl.), a marine shell (Pholas dactylus) resembling a finger in form. — Finger sponge(Zoöl.), a sponge having finger-shaped lobes, or branches. — Finger stall, a cover or shield for a finger. — Finger steel, a steel instrument for whetting a currier's knife.
To burn one's fingers. See under Burn. — To have a finger in, to be concerned in. — To have at one's fingers' ends, to be thoroughly familiar with.