tâter
to feel
verb tah-TEH Rare
Origin: Old French taster, from Vulgar Latin taxitare (to touch repeatedly)
Also means
to test the ground
Usage Note
Tâter literally means to feel or probe with the fingers, but the key idiom is tâter le terrain — 'to test the waters' before committing to a course of action. It is a regular -er verb. Compare toucher (to touch) which is more neutral.
Examples
"Il tâta le tissu pour juger sa qualité."
Natural Translation
He felt the fabric to judge its quality.
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