touchy
adjectiveattested in dialogue
- //ˈtʌt͡ʃi//
Extremely sensitive or volatile; easily disturbed to the point of becoming unstable; requiring caution or tactfulness.
adjective
- 1
Extremely sensitive or volatile; easily disturbed to the point of becoming unstable; requiring caution or tactfulness.
It is an extremely touchy situation, with everybody's patience wearing thin.
Eminent Americans are to be invited to direct by will their interment there; and in the case of Americans not so eminent as to be invited, but who have nevertheless expressed a wish to join the others, a committee will decide. It seems a touchy business all along...
- 2
Easily offended, oversensitive.
He can be very touchy when you talk about his estranged son, so be as tactful as possible.
I can assure you, Mr Hosier, that other people are much more touchy about my blindness than I am.
Ashley: Look at the size of that ship! Kaidan: The Ascension. Flagship of the Citadel fleet. Joker: Well, size isn't everything. Ashley: Why so touchy, Joker? Joker: I'm just saying you need firepower, too.
- 3
informalInclined to engage in physical touch.
Etymology
A variant of earlier tetchy (“cranky, easily annoyed, difficult to handle”), under influence from some senses of touch (“affect, disturb”) and simulating touch + -y.
Forms
- comparative
- touchier
- superlative
- touchiest
touchy · Extremely sensitive or volatile; easily disturbed to the point of becoming unstable; requiring caution or tactfulness.
tough · Of a material, strong and resilient; sturdy.Tough · A surname.tour · A journey through a particular building, estate, country, etc.