feeler
nounUK /ˈfiːlə/ · US /ˈfiːləɹ/
Etymology From Middle English feler, feeler, felar, equivalent to feel + -er. Animal organ definition from 1660s. Transferred sense of "proposal put forth to observe the reaction it gets" is from 1830.
1
Literally Someone or something that feels.
- Are you more of a feeler or more of a thinker?
3
Figuratively Something ventured to test another's feelings, opinion, or position.
- I sent out some feelers but they didn't seem interested.
- This survey is designed to get a feeler about how the citizens feel about the proposed new highway.
2 more examples
- In 1905, the Russo-Japanese war fought itself to a standstill, and with the destruction of Rozhiestvensky's fleet at Tsushima, the Japanese, for financial reasons, had to put out feelers for peace.1952 July, the late H. Carew, “By Special Train in the Far East”, in Railway Magazine, page 488:
- Mr. Dayan's peace feeler would he more attractive to Cairo if it were accompanied by suggestions from Jerusalem, public private, for safeguarding Israeli security interests there without sacrificing Cairo's claim to ultimate sovereignty.1972 August 30, “Dayan's Peace Feeler”, in The New York Times:
4
Philippines, Figuratively a presumptive person; someone who bases on gut feeling, such as assuming or imagining that something said or done, whether positive or negative, was for a person despite having no concrete confirmation but gut feeling, or someone who assumes one's affection is reciprocated, or indulges in one's own wishful thinking or flatters oneself
- All I can say to you is be cool, stick together and do your best to keep your 'affairs' away from the administration's "feelers" because there's no justice in the justice business.1988 February 21, Jery Ragland, “A Hell Of An Appeal”, in Gay Community News, volume 15, number 31, page 5:
- Derived terms
- feelered, feeler gauge, put out feelers, touchy-feeler