feelings
feelings — noun
1. the ability of your skin to tell you when something is touching it, or whether s
the ability of your skin to tell you when something is touching it, or whether something is hot, cold, rough, or smooth.
After sitting on his foot for an hour, Kenji had no feelings in his toes.
no feelings + in + body part
The doctor checked the feelings in Amara's fingertips with a small brush.
Cold winter air can reduce the feelings in your ears and nose.
As the anesthetic wore off, normal feelings slowly returned to Omar's leg.
- numbness
the lack of any physical sensation
文法句型
feelings + in + body part
lose/regain feelings + in + body part
用法筆記
Frequently used in the plural when referring to specific locations on the body. Often paired with verbs like 'lose', 'regain', or 'have'.
常見錯誤
2. a physical experience that your body is aware of, such as pain, heat, cold, or p
a physical experience that your body is aware of, such as pain, heat, cold, or pressure — for example, a burning feeling in your chest or a prickling feeling on your skin.
After the long hike, Fatima had aching feelings in her legs and back.
aching feelings + in + body part
The warm feelings of the sun on his skin made Henry feel relaxed.
Sofia described the strange tickling feelings in her throat before she started coughing.
People with fever often experience hot and cold feelings that come and go.
文法句型
feelings + of + physical state
adjective + feelings + in + body part
用法筆記
Often paired with an adjective describing the type of sensation (aching, burning, prickling, warm). The plural form is used when referring to repeated or varied sensations.
常見錯誤
3. an emotional state that a person experiences, such as happiness, sadness, anger,
an emotional state that a person experiences, such as happiness, sadness, anger, fear, or love — the inner reactions that shape how you feel about people, events, or situations.
Mei has strong feelings about protecting the natural environment.
strong feelings + about + topic
After the movie, Ananya had mixed feelings about the surprising ending.
The children's feelings of excitement grew as they approached the amusement park.
Theo tried to hide his feelings when his team lost the final match.
Deepak's feelings for Elena had grown stronger during the summer trip to the beach.
- emotions
more neutral and scientific; feelings are the subjective experience of emotions
- sentiments
more formal; often refers to opinions tinged with emotion
- indifference
lack of any emotional response
文法句型
feelings + of + emotion
have + adjective + feelings + about
feelings + for + someone
用法筆記
Nearly always used in the plural when referring to emotions. The singular 'feeling' is reserved for physical sensations or vague impressions. Common verbs: 'have', 'express', 'hide', 'share', 'hurt'.
常見錯誤
4. the part of your character that can be easily hurt or upset by what others say o
the part of your character that can be easily hurt or upset by what others say or do; emotional sensitivity that makes you care about being treated with kindness and respect.
Wei did not want to hurt his sister's feelings by telling her the truth.
hurt + someone's + feelings
The teacher was careful not to hurt the students' feelings when giving feedback.
Although they argued, there were no hard feelings between Ingrid and Omar afterwards.
Nalini tried to spare Kofi's feelings by not mentioning the mistake he made.
- sensitivity
broader; can be physical or emotional
- pride
overlaps with dignity; focuses on self-respect
- toughness
emotional resilience; the opposite of being easily hurt
文法句型
hurt + someone's + feelings
spare + someone's + feelings
no hard feelings
用法筆記
Describes emotional vulnerability, not specific emotions. Common in fixed expressions: 'hurt someone's feelings', 'spare someone's feelings', 'no hard feelings'. Subject is usually a person; 'feelings' belongs grammatically to the person affected.
常見錯誤
5. a general sense of being conscious or aware of yourself and your surroundings, w
a general sense of being conscious or aware of yourself and your surroundings, without focusing on any specific thought, emotion, or physical sensation.
Meditation helped Jiro develop a calm feeling of being present in the moment.
The general feeling of unease in the room made everyone speak in whispers.
general feeling + of + state
After the shock, Amara experienced a strange feeling that she was watching herself from far away.
- consciousness
more clinical; refers to the state of being awake and aware
- awareness
broader; can be about external or internal states
- unconsciousness
complete lack of awareness
文法句型
a feeling + of + state
general feeling + of
用法筆記
Used in the singular in this sense. Often paired with 'of' followed by an abstract noun (feeling of unease, feeling of detachment). Common in psychological or philosophical contexts.
6. a belief or idea that something is true or exists, even though you cannot explai
a belief or idea that something is true or exists, even though you cannot explain exactly why you think so — an impression that your mind forms without full evidence.
Elena had a strong feeling that someone was watching her from the window.
had a feeling + that-clause
I got the feeling that our guests were not enjoying the party very much.
The detective had a sinking feeling that he had missed an important clue at the crime scene.
Wei had the distinct feeling that the manager was hiding something from the team.
- impression
slightly more formal; based on observed details
- hunch
informal; a guess based on intuition
- intuition
knowing without conscious reasoning
- certainty
full confidence based on evidence
文法句型
have a feeling + (that-clause)
a feeling + of + noun
用法筆記
This sense is almost always in the singular ('a feeling that...'). Use 'feelings' only when the impression relates to multiple people or repeated instances. Typically followed by a that-clause or 'of + noun'.
常見錯誤
7. a personal opinion or belief that is based more on emotion than on careful reaso
a personal opinion or belief that is based more on emotion than on careful reasoning — how you feel about a topic rather than what you think about it logically.
The committee members shared their feelings about the proposed new policy.
share + feelings + about
Sofia has strong feelings on the issue of animal testing in laboratories.
strong feelings + on + topic
Feelings in the village ran high after the factory announced it was closing down.
Nalini expressed her feelings about the new school rules during the meeting.
- objectivity
judgment based on facts rather than emotions
文法句型
feelings + about + topic
have + strong feelings + on
share + someone's + feelings
用法筆記
The plural is preferred when referring to personal stances or attitudes. 'Feelings' in this sense implies the opinion is emotionally charged, whereas 'view' or 'opinion' suggests a more rational position. Common with 'strong' or 'mixed'.
常見錯誤
8. the ability to understand, enjoy, and respond to beauty in art, music, nature, o
the ability to understand, enjoy, and respond to beauty in art, music, nature, or design — an inner sense of what looks, sounds, or feels aesthetically right.
Diego has a natural feeling for color and composition in his paintings.
a feeling for + art form
The architect designed the building with a feeling of balance and harmony throughout.
Good jazz musicians play with a feeling for rhythm that cannot be taught from a book.
The garden had a peaceful feeling that made visitors want to sit and stay for hours.
- sensibility
more formal; cultivated capacity for aesthetic response
- appreciation
recognition of value, not necessarily innate
- taste
personal preference refined by experience
文法句型
a feeling + for + art/music/literature
feeling + of + quality
用法筆記
In this sense, 'feeling' (singular) is the standard form. The plural 'feelings' is rare. 'A feeling for [art/music/design]' describes natural talent or cultivated sensitivity. 'A feeling of [quality]' describes the character of a work or space.
常見錯誤
9. the particular mood or character that a place, situation, or thing creates in th
the particular mood or character that a place, situation, or thing creates in the people who experience it — the quality that makes a room feel cozy, a city feel exciting, or a ceremony feel solemn.
The old bookstore had a cozy feeling that made customers want to browse for hours.
adjective + feeling + that-clause (describing place)
There was a strange feeling about the empty house at the end of the street.
The restaurant tried to create a romantic feeling with soft lighting and slow music.
Kofi loved the lively feeling of the night market with its bright lights and busy crowds.
- atmosphere
more neutral; can be positive or negative
- mood
focuses on emotional tone rather than physical character
- vibe
informal; contemporary way to say atmosphere
文法句型
a/the feeling + of + noun
adjective + feeling + about + place
用法筆記
Typically singular ('a feeling of...', 'the feeling of...'). The plural 'feelings' is sometimes used when comparing multiple atmospheres. Common adjectives: 'cozy', 'strange', 'romantic', 'lively', 'peaceful', 'tense'.
feelings — adjective
1. able to experience physical sensations and emotions; having the capacity to feel
able to experience physical sensations and emotions; having the capacity to feel pain, pleasure, and other experiences — describing humans, animals, or beings that are aware of their own existence.
The question of whether machines could become feeling beings is debated by scientists.
Every feeling creature deserves to be treated with kindness and respect.
The novel tells the story of a feeling robot who learns to understand human emotions.
- insentient
lacking the capacity to feel anything
文法句型
feeling + noun (living being)
用法筆記
Used attributively before nouns referring to living beings. More philosophical than everyday language. Distinguish from sense 2 (emotionally sensitive) which describes personality, not capacity.
2. reacting strongly to emotional situations; easily moved to sadness, sympathy, or
reacting strongly to emotional situations; easily moved to sadness, sympathy, or affection — describing a person whose emotions are close to the surface.
Mei was a very feeling child who cried at sad scenes in every movie.
People describe Amara as a feeling person who truly cares about her friends.
feeling + noun (person)
The actors gave a feeling performance that brought many audience members to tears.
- sensitive
more common; can be negative (easily offended) or positive
- emotional
stronger; can imply lack of control
- compassionate
focuses on sympathy for others
文法句型
feeling + about + noun
be + feeling + today
用法筆記
Less common in modern everyday speech than synonyms like 'sensitive' or 'emotional'. May sound slightly old-fashioned. Often used to describe someone as warm-hearted and compassionate.
常見錯誤
3. showing strong emotion that is genuinely experienced; sincere and deeply felt —
showing strong emotion that is genuinely experienced; sincere and deeply felt — describing words, gestures, or performances that come from the heart.
The bride's father gave a feeling speech that made everyone at the wedding cry.
Amara wrote a feeling letter of thanks to the nurse who had cared for her mother.
feeling + noun (written expression)
The audience applauded the musician's feeling performance of the classical piece.
- insincere
pretending to feel something you do not
文法句型
feeling + noun (expression of emotion)
用法筆記
Used before nouns like 'speech', 'letter', 'performance', 'tribute', 'apology'. More formal than 'heartfelt' which is the everyday equivalent. Can sound literary or old-fashioned in casual speech.
常見錯誤
4. showing or communicating emotion in a powerful and noticeable way — describing a
showing or communicating emotion in a powerful and noticeable way — describing art, music, writing, or facial expressions that clearly convey the feelings behind them.
The poet used feeling language to describe the pain of losing a loved one.
Nalini's feeling portrayal of the character won her the best actress award.
feeling + noun (performance/portrayal)
The sculpture captured the mother's love in every feeling line of the marble figure.
- expressive
more common; focuses on the act of conveying emotion
- moving
emphasizes the effect on the audience
- passionate
stronger; implies intense emotion
- flat
lacking emotional expression or impact
文法句型
feeling + noun (art, gesture, expression)
用法筆記
Describes works of art or expressions that successfully transmit strong emotion. Overlaps with sense 3 but applies to artistic creations rather than personal statements. 'Expressive' is the more common modern synonym.