Retouch
//ɹɪˈtʌtʃ// noun, verb
noun, verb ·Uncommon ·College level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of retouching.
Verb
- 1 To improve something (especially a photograph), by adding or correcting details, or by removing flaws. transitive
"For time ſhall with his ready pencil ſtand; Retouch your figures with his ripening hand; Mellow your colors, and imbrown the teint; Add every grace, which time alone can grant; To future ages ſhall your fame convey, And give more beauties than he takes away."
- 2 alter so as to produce a more desirable appearance wordnet
- 3 To colour the roots of hair to match hair previously coloured. transitive
- 4 give retouches to (hair) wordnet
- 5 To modify a flint tool by making secondary flaking along the cutting edge.
Example
More examples"For time ſhall with his ready pencil ſtand; Retouch your figures with his ripening hand; Mellow your colors, and imbrown the teint; Add every grace, which time alone can grant; To future ages ſhall your fame convey, And give more beauties than he takes away."
Etymology
From French retoucher.
Related phrases
More for "retouch"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.